The power of Google to steer us toward useful information is impressive and undeniable, but a number of commentators are warning that this steerage has a dark side. In this excerpt from his new book, Jamie suggests ways to help students pierce what Eli Pariser is calling the "Filter Bubble" in The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding from You (Penguin Press, 2011).

Today it is getting harder and harder to disconnect . . . or find space for nothing. As we integrate our digital devices and social media into every aspect of our work and home life, we have developed a dependence that is becoming invisible to our lives.