'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
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Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#2Interesting results. Though I wonder to what extent some of them reflect the outside world. (Not reality. Just what people outside youtube focus on.)
The Clintons have been the subject of conspiracy theories since the 90s at least. So, it's not surprising that this would extend on to Youtube.
(I haven't made an extensive study of this, but my impression is that the American right wing is prone to conspiracies about people or events, whereas the left wing is prone to conspiracies about institutions.)
The article also mentions Trump speeches were more recommended. There's an innocent recommendation: people find Trump more engaging. Of the two candidates, Clinton was far less charismatic - she even admitted she wasn't a natural like Bill Clinton was. So, it's not exactly surprising that Trump was more recommended and more watched.
This isn't to take away from the broader thesis. The recommendation algorithm is certainly worthy of study. And the fact that the algorithm quickly moves from normal to polarizing is disconcerting.
But, it does seem as though the recommendation algorithm to some extent mirrors what we see in talk radio and other media segments in America.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#3The Guardian calling YouTube out for distorting truth? This is the pot calling the kettle black.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#4I put on some science video and walked away recently... came back latter and the autoplay had navigated itself deep into k00ky flat earther stuff.
People raising concerns about superhuman AI grey-gooing the planet have their priorities wrong. Incompetent narrow AI will happily navigate man kind into a wall when the pattern of bricks by chance happens to look like a tunnel.
Don't be evil... we have automation for that.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#5Interesting results. Though I wonder to what extent some of them reflect the outside world. (Not reality. Just what people outside youtube focus on.) The Clintons have been the subject of conspiracy theories since the 90s at least. So, it's not surprising that this would extend on to Youtube. (I haven't made an extensive study of this, but my impression is that the American right wing is prone to conspiracies about p…
But, it does seem as though the recommendation algorithm to some extent mirrors what we see in talk radio and other media segments in America.
I'm not sure what you think the significance of that fact is. YouTube's recommendation system is specifically trying to maximize time spent by users watching videos, and what's turned out to be the case is that sensationalistic, politically polarizing, conspiratorial, etc. videos are excellent for promoting engagement.
It sounds as if you're saying that because such extremist content exists and engages people in other media, there's no real significance to the fact that YouTube's recommendation system creates a feedback loop for this content. But YouTube most definitely has agency there: First, promoting videos to users isn't just holding up a mirror to reality, but is an overt act. Second, the design of the recommendation system--what aspects of user behavior to cue off of and what metrics to optimize--reflects decisions on YouTube's part; they don't fall out of the sky.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#6The Guardian calling YouTube out for distorting truth? This is the pot calling the kettle black.
The guardian certainly has a strong editorial position, but I've never found its' reporting to be anything other than honest, well researched, and written with integrity.
I think that they believe what they write with a high level of conviction, which is more than you can say for some of the more egregious videos floating around on YouTube.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#7I put on some science video and walked away recently... came back latter and the autoplay had navigated itself deep into k00ky flat earther stuff. People raising concerns about superhuman AI grey-gooing the planet have their priorities wrong. Incompetent narrow AI will happily navigate man kind into a wall when the pattern of bricks by chance happens to look like a tunnel. Don't be evil... we have automation for that…
the stereotypical grey goo is usually an example of the kind of narrow AI you are talking about
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#8I put on some science video and walked away recently... came back latter and the autoplay had navigated itself deep into k00ky flat earther stuff. People raising concerns about superhuman AI grey-gooing the planet have their priorities wrong. Incompetent narrow AI will happily navigate man kind into a wall when the pattern of bricks by chance happens to look like a tunnel. Don't be evil... we have automation for that…
the stereotypical grey goo is usually an example of the kind of narrow AI you are talking about
Grey goo doesn’t require intelligence of any sort tho just the ability to consume resources and replicate.
And it doesn’t even have to be nano machines, HzD is effectively a grey goo scenario with drones that can replicate and can produce essentially biodiesel.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#9Youtube personalization is eerily well-tuned from a tech perspective, and has undoubtedly been good for their business. But one of the least expected side-effects of new technology has to be the fact that Youtube’s ‘related videos’ algorithm has given rise to a generation of Flat Earth believers.
Despite that, I gotta say, I'm uncomfortable about the series of media 'hits' on Youtube over the past year. It is based on self interest as a tech professional (I want to be able to create a social network without having to highly moderate everything!) but also, everytime it happens, a bunch of Youtubers who are innocent of what the media is alleging (objectionable content, etc.) lose their ad revenue. It's true that the 2016 US election has prompted the Anglosphere to subject social networks to more scrutiny, but when clamping down on user-generated content (or how it's displayed and monetized) we gotta look at the collateral damage, too.
Re: 'Fiction is outperforming reality': how YouTube's algorithm distorts truth
#10The Guardian calling YouTube out for distorting truth? This is the pot calling the kettle black.
The guardian certainly has a strong editorial position, but I've never found its' reporting to be anything other than honest, well researched, and written with integrity. I think that they believe what they write with a high level of conviction, which is more than you can say for some of the more egregious videos floating around on YouTube.
The Guardian plays with heavy distortions, biased selective reporting, and dishonest ideological clickbait tactics all the time.