More than one in three online platforms, such as bol.com, Marketplaats and Amazon, use algorithms to help visitors or even guide their purchase. Less than half of these sites are honest about how their systems work.
You are constantly influenced online. If you search for a professional on Werkspot, for example, or buy a used bike on Marktplaats or order food via Thuisbezorgd, you will encounter algorithms without your knowledge. According to the statistics agency, one in three online platforms do this CBS Use.
Algorithms determine what you see on a website or app, but they also determine what you don’t see. They are usually designed to show you the best results that match your interests. But sometimes algorithms influence your choice. For example, by only displaying a more expensive product if the system knows what you are looking for.
It is not always clear to visitors of online platforms how algorithms work. Less than half of these sites provide information about how their algorithms work globally.
Also, many online platforms are not fair in the way they choose ads for visitors. According to Statistics Netherlands, only four out of ten websites provide information about how their advertising systems work.
Some online platforms allow sellers or service providers to pay to rank higher in search results. Not all websites are honest about this either. In 28 percent of the websites examined, it was not mentioned as a sponsored search result.