Upworthy

The recent interview by VICE with the founders of Upworthy has reintroduced the important discourse about how to filter information in a world where often quantity prevails over quality. The challenge is how to distribute the important information so that it is heard. Most online services – ranging from Google to Facebook to local news sites – have been working on solutions within their distinct fields to customise information to the user. However, some stories never reach the mass despite being important for whatever reason. Instead, the top stories are often fail compilations or a status on what your friend had for dinner yesterday. Yes, this information is indeed important too and, while many may not like to admit it, we enjoy receiving this information. But what about the meaningful and potentially world-changing information? Well, upworthy.com has taken on the challenge to compile this data and put it into an easy-to-use interface. It is like a feed of stories, events or even ideas that are in some way “sensational and substantial, entertaining and enlightening, shocking and significant.” (upworthy.com). It is a website that collects videos, posts and other media on stories that are being shared or worth being shared. It is an interesting concept that tries to put more important things on top of the agenda in our busy online schedules and lives. The issue here is neutrality. Almost every type of information sourcing entails some sort of bias – the featured content on Upworthy.COM may well be very different to the featured content on, lets say, Upworthy.CN. Upworthy.com does not claim to be neutral because it can’t. But I don’t need a neutral source of information, I want someone with a similar mindset our outlook to source information for me because I can’t and I don’t have the time to anyway. That is precisely why I think this concept is successful. I am sure that this model will find imitators with various agendas and interests. I look forward to how this great idea will develop in the future…