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Instagram Has Become SkyMall

clivethompson.medium.com

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Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#281

Post by scrollaway »

helsinkiandrew wrote: post #169
snowwrestler wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a similar experience on Instagram in that the ads often seem well-tailored to my interests there, which are exclusively outdoor sports and photography. But I have to say that I am disciplined about training the algorithm. I never click on content outside those interests (even if it looks interesting to me). And I occasionally go to the “discover” tab and click only the images that align with those interests. A…

> I never click on content outside those interests (even if it looks interesting to me) That’s a little sad isn’t it? We’re too scared to click on content that looks interesting in case it angers the algorithm :-)

It is, kind of, but less so if you view instagram as a "tool".

I personally only use IG to follow my fellow figure skaters, but I do use YouTube like GP does: Curating, heavily, and clicking only with purpose.

I'm rewarded with superb recommendations. A seemingly endless treasure trove of high quality content. Educational content, as that's the main stuff I'm interested in.

I see youtube's algorithm as a tool: I learned how to use it to my own benefit. On paper it should "do its own thing", but AI isn't there yet and I don't know that I want it to be. What I know is that doing things this way has allowed youtube to have a profoundly positive impact on my life. In exchange, I bought youtube premium. So, win win.

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#282

Post by FearlessNebula »

grishka wrote: post #280
FearlessNebula wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’d love to read a write up on how you did that. I wonder if it’s possible that one endpoint returns a chronological feed whereas another endpoint returns an algorithmic field?

In short. The HTTP client Instagram uses (Proxygen) is written in C++, which means it needs JNI bindings, which means those classes are necessarily excluded from obfuscation. I decompiled the dexes into human-readable bytecode (smali) using apktool, compiled my own class with additional code to strip ads, converted it to dex, decompiled that into smali, added that to instagram smali files, added calls into my class i…

Doesn’t compiling the code into an executable inherently obfuscate it?

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#284

Post by neycoda »

throwawayswede wrote: post #244

What's tragic here is that the author is complaining about one ad-infested, tracker-infested piece of trash of a product, on another ad-infested, tracker-infested piece of trash that is Medium. Why the the fuck people still write on Medium even though it prevents people from reading content after a few times without either paying or logging in is beyond me.

I use Instagram in a browser different than the one I use with my personal details, and it's completely anonymized. I did this before Facebook bought it. I've never posted my face or other personal details there. Nobody I follow seems to care, and only some know it's me. I always thought Instagram was for pretty pictures, when people misuse it as a social network.

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#285

Post by chrisstu »

throwawayswede wrote: post #278
brazzy wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where do you see the author complaining ?? He's celebrating the tracker-induced trashiness of the ads!

I have to admit that I didn't read it since it's on that trash website, but I just guessed. I block Medium on my network.

Yeah commenting on an article without reading it kinda sucks doesn't it?

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#286

Post by throwawayswede »

chrisstu wrote: post #285
throwawayswede wrote: post #278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to admit that I didn't read it since it's on that trash website, but I just guessed. I block Medium on my network.

Yeah commenting on an article without reading it kinda sucks doesn't it?

Not in this case, I wasn't commenting on the substance.

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#287

Post by chrisstu »

The author is on-point here. I now love the instagram ads for their comedy value. Although I'm currently seeing a lot of elasticated waistband trousers that apparently look like normal well-fitting trousers. I guess my instagram browsing habits now fit that middle aged fat guy demographic. Damn!

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#289

Post by tonystubblebine »

throwawayswede wrote: post #244

What's tragic here is that the author is complaining about one ad-infested, tracker-infested piece of trash of a product, on another ad-infested, tracker-infested piece of trash that is Medium. Why the the fuck people still write on Medium even though it prevents people from reading content after a few times without either paying or logging in is beyond me.

> prevents people from reading content after a few times without either paying or logging in is beyond me.

I don't think this is fair or accurate.

Authors are choosing to put their articles behind Medium's paywall because they want to get paid. So when you see a paywall that's the author's choice. It's not any different than a Substack newsletter other than scale. So to say Medium is preventing people from reading... it's really that Medium is home for a lot of writers who want to get paid for their work and probably wouldn't even have written the piece you are trying to read without that incentive.

Then this Skymall article isn't even behind the paywall and doesn't have any sort of block on it or login wall. Or am I seeing something different than you? I tested it while not logged in.

FWIW, there is a ton of great writing on Medium even if there is also a lot of trash. For example, I helped port the full back catalog of books from The Pragmatic Programmers over to Medium. Those are great and it's great to have easy access to all of them.

Re: Instagram Has Become SkyMall

#290

Post by Sebb767 »

throwaway2048 wrote: post #174
Sebb767 wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think you can say this in general. I really, really dislike ads, but they _do_ sponsor a lot of content creators which could otherwise not focus on their content creation and they help companies to get their product known to you - which does not need to be a negative. If they sell you a product which genuinely improves your life, it's a win-win-win for you, the producer and the person advertising. The current…

The mafia was also famous for its community outreach and charity, that didn't make it a net positive.

Yes, but the key difference is that the mafia is, by definition, a criminal organization and the upside is not linked in any way with being a mafia. Ads, on the other hand, do inherently have the positive quality of showing you products and could exist without their current downsides.
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