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Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

bigtechnology.substack.com

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Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#11

Post by jensensbutton »

gfosco wrote: post #6

Data wins arguments. One of my least favorite Facebook quotes. Bad data wins arguments, too. The misdirection term here is 'news feed ranking algorithm'... and what that means in the experiment versus what you might think that means, huge difference. e.g. I think most would assume the algorithm is responsible for showing you an unknown post that a friend merely liked, but it's right there in the article as still happ…

Given they made MORE money in this experiment, I suspect the decision to roll it back was more nuanced than a naive analysis and bad science experiment.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#12

Post by asimpletune »

I don’t remember what Facebook had instead of a news feed in 2008, but I do remember thinking Facebook was so cool then. When messenger came out, it was amazing. It was totally normal then to message random people who you thought were cool and just have a conversation. I would even get random chats from Facebook employees. It just seemed so different then than now.

I’m just trying to piece together the evolution of Facebook, feeds, and then when I stopped caring. Like, I don’t think the feed was always like this. At one point there was nothing, sure, but there was also at one point a reverse chronically sorted log of what your friends were doing I think? That was the best. By the time my parents were on I think there was a few years of overlap before I just forgot about it.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#13

Post by arthurcolle »

asimpletune wrote: post #12

I don’t remember what Facebook had instead of a news feed in 2008, but I do remember thinking Facebook was so cool then. When messenger came out, it was amazing. It was totally normal then to message random people who you thought were cool and just have a conversation. I would even get random chats from Facebook employees. It just seemed so different then than now. I’m just trying to piece together the evolution of F…

Spammers took over!

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#14

Post by fsflover »

rob_c wrote: post #10

I dread that even if it were stripped from Facebook tomorrow the damage is done and cat out the bag, another platform would just copy and rise to the top of the pile that is "social" media...

Not if the other platform is decentralized and doesn't rely on advertising money.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#15

Post by gfosco »

jensensbutton wrote: post #11
gfosco wrote: post #6

Data wins arguments. One of my least favorite Facebook quotes. Bad data wins arguments, too. The misdirection term here is 'news feed ranking algorithm'... and what that means in the experiment versus what you might think that means, huge difference. e.g. I think most would assume the algorithm is responsible for showing you an unknown post that a friend merely liked, but it's right there in the article as still happ…

Given they made MORE money in this experiment, I suspect the decision to roll it back was more nuanced than a naive analysis and bad science experiment.

The goal wasn't more money, there are more variables involved. One way to look at it might be, short-term more money vs long-term total narrative control.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#17

Post by KaiserPro »

d3vmax wrote: post #4

Have a chronological time series newsfeed only from friends. Once you have caught up show the recommended / algo posts. + Facebook should allow you to go filter and show posts using a calendar. Like all post from X date to Y date, from this location / friends. It will actually improve usage. Miss the old photo sharing days.

but, as the post points out, you get lots of stuff people don't like (like group posts, or people abusing public figures, or arguments)

so whilst in theory it sounds good, in practice, not so much

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#18

Post by s17n »

gfosco wrote: post #6

Data wins arguments. One of my least favorite Facebook quotes. Bad data wins arguments, too. The misdirection term here is 'news feed ranking algorithm'... and what that means in the experiment versus what you might think that means, huge difference. e.g. I think most would assume the algorithm is responsible for showing you an unknown post that a friend merely liked, but it's right there in the article as still happ…

You can say that explicit curation and intention is the way things "should be" as much as you like, but all the evidence suggests that most people strongly prefer automated curation.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#19

Post by nowherebeen »

asimpletune wrote: post #12

I don’t remember what Facebook had instead of a news feed in 2008, but I do remember thinking Facebook was so cool then. When messenger came out, it was amazing. It was totally normal then to message random people who you thought were cool and just have a conversation. I would even get random chats from Facebook employees. It just seemed so different then than now. I’m just trying to piece together the evolution of F…

Before I deleted Facebook, I remember specifically around 2014-15 was when things started to change significantly on newsfeeds. It was less about keeping up with friends and more about advertisements.

Re: Facebook removed the news feed algorithm in an experiment

#20

Post by KaiserPro »

gfosco wrote: post #15
jensensbutton wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given they made MORE money in this experiment, I suspect the decision to roll it back was more nuanced than a naive analysis and bad science experiment.

The goal wasn't more money, there are more variables involved. One way to look at it might be, short-term more money vs long-term total narrative control.

given that the algorithm is never going to be as effective as an editorial department, I don't understand the "total narrative control" argument.

Facebook and instagram are social phase locked loops. Open a new instagram account, search for content that you like, like them, then what how it shove more/similar stuff into your feed.

Now pivot to a different subject, only like that, and watch how your feed moves to that subject more.

its not really rocket science, or indeed anything overly complex.

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