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TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

theintercept.com

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Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#211

Post by golergka »

papeda wrote: post #4

Geez, I thought this might be an overblown piece about algorithms unwittingly optimizing for the wrong things, but the headline is pretty accurate. Discussing how moderators choose content to recommend to people in the “For You” section (not a user — I assume this is something highlighted to users): > Under this policy, TikTok moderators were explicitly told to suppress uploads from users with flaws both congenital a…

That's platform vs editor problem of social media all over again. You're either a communication platform akin to a phone cord that functions regardless of what's communicated on it, or an centrally controlled media with an editorial board which is in charge of what users post on in and is responsible for it.

The only difference with Facebook is that it got crap from people who wanted it to be responsible for it's content (fake news), while TikTok gets crap from people who were not prepated for it to be so moderated, but it's still the same fundamental problem of trying to sit on both chairs at the same time.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#212

Post by kristopolous »

Although this ruffles sensibilities, isn't it kind of expected from an entertainment platform?

Any traditional teen magazine from 20 years ago (seventeen, tigerbeat) wouldn't be scolded for heavily policing what photos go in the pages. Not only that, they heavily post processed everything.

There's superficial and arbitrary gatekeepers for what is called news, what is played on the radio, basically everything. Even some of the talent shows have strict, rather low, age cutoffs. 29 is too old for American Idol (it used to be 25).

Even more apparently egalitarian entertainment, such as contestants on the Price is Right aren't "truly random" and get shortlisted into energetic people who come in larger crowds in order to make better television. Most people think that's probably also fine. Some guy just standing and shrugging after being revealed a "brand new car" wouldn't really be right.

So for a digital social entertainment platform to do the same kind of pruning, it's kind of expected. Content is filtered to create better entertainment for the target demographic, one that I'm not in.

Maybe you think it's not the right filter system but now we're doing a target marketing debate and not one of ethics.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#213

Post by KorematsuFred »

I am unable to see what is wrong with all of this. I wont be using tiktok if it had ugly people doing stuff I am not interested int.

As someone has pointed out on this threat elsewhere, Tiktok is a night club. You gotta dress up, put up fake eye lashes, high heels and show some cleavage to get more attention. THAT IS their business model.

This outrage is nothing but silicon valley hippie attitude which I think the chinese simply don't give a shit about.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#214

Post by qtplatypus »

Consultant32452 wrote: post #10

This is what happens when you mix utilitarian morality with a desire to stop online bullying. You just stop letting the most likely targets of bullying be seen. This is much cheaper and easier than trying to get rid of everyone who has ever been mean online, because that's everyone.

Wanting to stop online bullying sounds more like a cover story then the truth.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#215

Post by sbarre »

pjc50 wrote: post #6

The Russians call this "face control"; the practice of maintaining a club full of only good looking people by the bouncers. It's unpleasant, but a handy reminder that TikTok and other social networks don't work for you, but make you into a product.

I was going to say, club bouncers have been doing this for decades.. it's really nothing new...

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#216

Post by whyaduck »

YarickR2 wrote: post #174
PaulKeeble wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In offices, managers are taller and more handsome than the average. What we reward as a society in the west is beauty, not merit and hard work, unfortunately. Study after study shows the same trend in a huge variety of ways, from believing in social mobility to thinking job performance is about job performance despite the often opposite. But I also think this level of anti-intellectualism is temporary.

Unfortunately ? We're promoting keeping body healthy and proprotional and fit.

And taller?

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#218

Post by qtplatypus »

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #20

How is this different from nightclubs having a high bar to entry? I am not saying this is an ethical thing to do, I am saying these apps are no different from nightclubs and they gotta do what they gotta do to survive. And no matter what you may say, humans prefer non ugly people over ugly people. I am sorry but this is simply how humans work. If you disagree, then you are a hypocrite. So should high end nightclubs b…

Nightclubs are not allowed to exclude people with disabilities.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#219

Post by zapzupnz »

jussij wrote: post #138
zapzupnz wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What kind of night clubs do you go to where there's a high bar of entry — but everybody is still allowed in anyway? It's more like a strip club, where the beautiful people are unpaid strippers who don't even know that they are strippers. And even that's a poor metaphor.

The way I read the OP's analogy is just as the Night Club places restrictions on who can enter, TikTok is also placing restrictions on who can post content. And why I think the analogy does have some merit, is because the metric used to decide on who gets restricted is the very similar in both of these cases.

They don’t limit who can post content but rather whose content reaches the suggestions, regardless of a post’s popularity.

Also, again, the people turned away from the night club door still can’t go in. Took Too users who don’t post can still view content.

Re: TikTok told moderators to suppress posts by “ugly” people and the poor

#220

Post by miguelmota »

papeda wrote: post #4

Geez, I thought this might be an overblown piece about algorithms unwittingly optimizing for the wrong things, but the headline is pretty accurate. Discussing how moderators choose content to recommend to people in the “For You” section (not a user — I assume this is something highlighted to users): > Under this policy, TikTok moderators were explicitly told to suppress uploads from users with flaws both congenital a…

Instagram does the same thing; my 'Explore' tab is full of beautiful people even though I don't follow them. From a business standpoint it makes sense to promote the best looking content since it'll lure in more young users. The young kids probably think something like "Hey look at all those beautiful people. I want to be like them and they use Tik Tok so I'm going to use Tik Tok too."
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