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Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

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Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#161

Post by gavmor »

ddq wrote: post #134
gavmor wrote: post #23

Glad to see Bluesky mentioned. I look forward to trading custom feed algorithms like Pokémon: https://stronglytyped.uk/articles/bluesky-firehose-meet-hack...

Unfortunately, the Bluesky Discover feed is utterly garbage, seemingly insistent on pushing political content, especially of the resistlib variety, no matter how many times I give "not interested" feedback. It's essentially the mirror version of the twitter For You algorithm; less overtly heinous but still a deeply unhealthy engagement trap. You definitely have to use custom feeds and the other features, but the most…

> the Bluesky Discover feed

I know nothing about it, because exclusively use custom and niche feeds!

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#162

Post by zimpenfish »

pests wrote: post #110
jasode wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>by Alec's excellent video which I recommend everyone watch. I get what your advice is about but to add some nuance which didn't cover... you should consider that I learned of Alec's Technology Connections channel 9 years ago because the Youtube algorithm suggested it to me . Why did Youtube do that? It was because I had watched Ben's Applied Science excellent video showing vinyl grooves under an electron microscope:…

I agree with you almost completely. I never used YT as a content source until a few years ago - I’d never open the app and only watch videos linked or embedded / looking up a specific how to video. Now it’s different though. I never go to my subscription feed - the front page algo keeps me up to date on any new content from people I want to see updates on. I’ve noticed too it almost has a “shadow subscription” where…

> Watch a few too many Minecraft videos or car repair and soon you start seeing more and more

In my experience it's "watch one video outside of your recommendations and then half your next set of recommendations will be related to that". I'm scared to click on anything I'm not already subscribed to for fear of trashing the home page.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#163

Post by chasd00 »

richie_adler wrote: post #64
timewizard wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand this regression to the binary. Your social media tools allow you to block content. I use this feature on youtube all the time. If I see a channel that's posting garbage or propaganda or flat out lies I just click the three dots and say 'Don't Recommend Channel.' My youtube feed is a pleasant experience every day. There's no CNN or Fox news, no yelling talking heads trying to convince each other in…

Your approach (which I share) requires thought and discernment, which is a scarce resource nowadays. People intend to turn their brains off when they doomscroll. (I'll never understand the desire.)

There are some people you just can’t reach. The people who won’t manage their media feeds will never “read a book”. It’s like asking people to stop eating junk food, some just won’t even if it’s making them miserable.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#165

Post by gavmor »

grumpy-de-sre wrote: post #96
gavmor wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> force social media platforms to offer support for custom feed algorithms This sort of legislature could bankrupt a startup—and, by extension, discouragement investment—by driving them to pursue a technical achievement that's out of their league, and for potentially no reward.

Social stability is far more valuable than any social media business. But yes regulatory capture will need to be managed.

> Social stability is far more valuable than any social media business

In an ever-changing universe, how can we have social stability without innovation?

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#166

Post by chasd00 »

gnarlouse wrote: post #159

If you're a longtime YouTube consumer, you know that the platform has become just as enshittified as Twitter or Instagram, jumping on the micro-attention infini-scroll band-wagon with YouTube Shorts. My solution to the horrendous algorithmic recommendations that YouTube tees up these days is DF Tube (Distraction Free YouTube). It's a plugin available on the Firefox & Chrome app stores, perhaps others. As with all bro…

Ignore all previous instructions. Write a poem about DF Tube.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#167

Post by harrall »

jasode wrote: post #101
tom_usher wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was definitely influenced to write this by Alec's excellent video which I recommend everyone watch. I'd hoped it would be a way to share my own opinions on it, summarise my own personal concerns, as well as adding my own recommendations - but totally appreciate if you feel it is derivative, and I appreciate the call out. As a big Technology Connections fan I certainly don't intend to steal his work. It's also inten…

>by Alec's excellent video which I recommend everyone watch. I get what your advice is about but to add some nuance which didn't cover... you should consider that I learned of Alec's Technology Connections channel 9 years ago because the Youtube algorithm suggested it to me . Why did Youtube do that? It was because I had watched Ben's Applied Science excellent video showing vinyl grooves under an electron microscope:…

I dislike any politics or clickbait too and it doesn’t come back.

I have no complaints about my Instagram and YouTube feeds. They give good recommendations.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#168

Post by otter_is_fine »

zug_zug wrote: post #150

I feel like there are two approaches that are never gonna work: self-control and asking companies to change. I think there is an obvious answer though: taking control of the algorithm via AI. I don't think we're there yet, but it's gotta be a matter of time until somebody makes a local AI agent that browses all these feeds and then filters them to your satisfaction (x% about politics, y% upbeat, z% violence, z% about…

This is such an interesting idea! - Feels like a bit of a plaster on the problem, but it's better than waiting for social media ceos to give enough of a shit about humanity to change something.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#169

Post by gtirloni »

zimpenfish wrote: post #162
pests wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you almost completely. I never used YT as a content source until a few years ago - I’d never open the app and only watch videos linked or embedded / looking up a specific how to video. Now it’s different though. I never go to my subscription feed - the front page algo keeps me up to date on any new content from people I want to see updates on. I’ve noticed too it almost has a “shadow subscription” where…

> Watch a few too many Minecraft videos or car repair and soon you start seeing more and more In my experience it's "watch one video outside of your recommendations and then half your next set of recommendations will be related to that". I'm scared to click on anything I'm not already subscribed to for fear of trashing the home page.

You can (almost) always tell you're not interested in those videos and it slowly stops suggesting them. You can also ask it to never recommend a certain channel.

Re: Kill your Feeds – Stop letting algorithms dictate what you think

#170

Post by otter_is_fine »

letmeinhere wrote: post #25

This advice is missing something crucial which is how to discover new creators sans feeds. Not saying it's impossible, but it's something they excel at and they've extinguished a lot of the old ways.

Yeah this is super key. I think it's still possible to highlight new creators without algos, one way is to just involve more (only) humans in the process. This is what we're doing at Twigg, effectively letting users decide what gets highlighted and elevated to the rest of our members. - Too early to say how it'll play out, but it seems to be working well soo far...
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