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The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

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Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#31

Post by BetaDeltaAlpha »

keenmaster wrote: post #17
ve55 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>there is suffering that would be invisible to the world if it weren't for social media. Definitely, but the algorithms for social media do not help the worst cases of the most suffering become more viral than more infrequent cases of lesser suffering. The issue is that all that matters is virality. Sometimes suffering is viral when it should be, but other times it is not, and when it is not, no one will care, becaus…

I've read enough history to be convinced that democratic-anything is usually better. Social media is a more democratic medium than traditional media. On the whole, that will turn out for the better, especially as we learn how to control the worst aspects of social media. Before Facebook came out, how much did news reporters, even on MSNBC, lead the conversation against systematic social and economic injustice towards…

> I've read enough history to be convinced that democratic-anything is usually better.

How did you come to this conclusion? Legitimately asking because I'd draw the opposite conclusion.

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#32

Post by askafriend »

grawprog wrote: post #9
ve55 wrote: post #8

I view this as the primary reason that protests and rioting have been significantly more widespread recently. In order for someone to feel good about protesting and rioting, it helps if people around them are doing it, so that it seems socially acceptable, and so that negative consequences are less likely to occur. Normally you would need to see this physically near you, but now with viral algorithms, all it takes is…

I live in a small community outside America. On Saturday I left the mall where I'd been subject to the 'new normal' covid distancing laws shit. Stepped out into the sunshine to see over 1000 people marching down the street in one huddled mass protesting because...riots in America. I watched a car's window get smashed because they wanted to drive through an intersection and had the audacity to ask if they could drive…

I think you fail to understand just how prevalent these issues are for people of color every single day.

Yes, these issues might be just a speck for you. But they're a stain on daily life for millions of people around the world (which is why you see people empathizing not just domestically, but internationally).

Justifying one's existence and identity every single day is exhausting on a level that all other problems are simply irrelevant when existence is in question.

I don't know if you've ever heard the phrase "When White people get the cold, Black people get the flu". Our problems are systemic and the way problems impact people in our society isn't equal.

> There's a worrying lack of housing for people here in the last year since the psyche ward and homeless shelters shut down. Businesses have been closing down permanently for months, people are desperate for work,

Now dig into the data and see what segment of the population these issues affect the most and disproportionately so. On top of all that, Black people have to worry about having to walk down the street too? Any reasonable person would say "fuck that".

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#33

Post by [deleted] »

askafriend wrote: post #32
grawprog wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in a small community outside America. On Saturday I left the mall where I'd been subject to the 'new normal' covid distancing laws shit. Stepped out into the sunshine to see over 1000 people marching down the street in one huddled mass protesting because...riots in America. I watched a car's window get smashed because they wanted to drive through an intersection and had the audacity to ask if they could drive…

I think you fail to understand just how prevalent these issues are for people of color every single day . Yes, these issues might be just a speck for you. But they're a stain on daily life for millions of people around the world (which is why you see people empathizing not just domestically, but internationally). Justifying one's existence and identity every single day is exhausting on a level that all other problems…

[deleted]

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#34

Post by thaumasiotes »

keenmaster wrote: post #12
ve55 wrote: post #8

I view this as the primary reason that protests and rioting have been significantly more widespread recently. In order for someone to feel good about protesting and rioting, it helps if people around them are doing it, so that it seems socially acceptable, and so that negative consequences are less likely to occur. Normally you would need to see this physically near you, but now with viral algorithms, all it takes is…

People don't usually protest in person unless they really believe in the underlying cause. There are developers on HN who worry about a 500 millisecond delay in their app because users are so fickle that half a second puts them off. If people don't have half a second of patience, how much does it take to motivate them to go to a protest, shout, march, and sometimes even risk their lives? Sure, if we're not careful, i…

> People don't usually protest in person unless they really believe in the underlying cause.

> If people don't have half a second of patience, how much does it take to motivate them to go to a protest, shout, march, and sometimes even risk their lives?

People are bored right now.

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#35

Post by grawprog »

askafriend wrote: post #32
grawprog wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in a small community outside America. On Saturday I left the mall where I'd been subject to the 'new normal' covid distancing laws shit. Stepped out into the sunshine to see over 1000 people marching down the street in one huddled mass protesting because...riots in America. I watched a car's window get smashed because they wanted to drive through an intersection and had the audacity to ask if they could drive…

I think you fail to understand just how prevalent these issues are for people of color every single day . Yes, these issues might be just a speck for you. But they're a stain on daily life for millions of people around the world (which is why you see people empathizing not just domestically, but internationally). Justifying one's existence and identity every single day is exhausting on a level that all other problems…

>Now dig into the data and see what segment of the population these issues affect the most and disproportionately so. On top of all that, Black people have to worry about having to walk down the street too? Any reasonable person would say "fuck that".

Not sure about the data, but based on the people I see every day and talk to it's poor and mentally ill native and white people. The black community is fairly small here and consists of a few south African families who were not participating in the protests, at least from what I could tell seeing one of the families on the beach that day, while some members of the other were working.

There was an older black Lady who looked at all the white families with their kids protesting who shook her head and called them idiots that i seen but otherwise, it was a bunch of white people yelling about black lives in a community where the main racial problems that do exist are towards natives and there wasn't a single mention about that from those people. The homeless native guy drinking and smoking crack on the street next to them matters less than some guy killed by a cop in the States.

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#36

Post by watwut »

grawprog wrote: post #35
askafriend wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you fail to understand just how prevalent these issues are for people of color every single day . Yes, these issues might be just a speck for you. But they're a stain on daily life for millions of people around the world (which is why you see people empathizing not just domestically, but internationally). Justifying one's existence and identity every single day is exhausting on a level that all other problems…

>Now dig into the data and see what segment of the population these issues affect the most and disproportionately so. On top of all that, Black people have to worry about having to walk down the street too? Any reasonable person would say "fuck that". Not sure about the data, but based on the people I see every day and talk to it's poor and mentally ill native and white people. The black community is fairly small her…

Then it kind of sounds like people are protesting against issue that is actual issue they experienced in their community. And somehow it is not real for you, because they are not right color and should wait for other protests with matching color.

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#37

Post by pensivemood »

nostromo wrote: post #6

This is a timely article. If I only viewed the world through my Facebook feed right now, I'd believe that everyone in the US wants to defund every police department. In reality it's an incredibly unpopular view among everyone, left, right, and center. https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/20... I think making this worse is that even a mild concern about this policy would be received very poorly on…

> In reality it's an incredibly unpopular view among everyone, left, right, and center.

If you are a layman, you don't know shit about the "reality".

That is the only reality that you can be sure of.

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#38

Post by [deleted] »

ve55 wrote: post #8

I view this as the primary reason that protests and rioting have been significantly more widespread recently. In order for someone to feel good about protesting and rioting, it helps if people around them are doing it, so that it seems socially acceptable, and so that negative consequences are less likely to occur. Normally you would need to see this physically near you, but now with viral algorithms, all it takes is…

[deleted]

Re: The “Majority Illusion” in Social Networks (2016)

#39

Post by pensivemood »

I am wondering what this mean to things like setting scientific consensus?

I mean, Isn't the same think applicable to any case where perception of the majority by indvidual is skewed by network effects such as these? Also, isn't it within the realm of possibility that it is much easier for a bad actor to alter this perception of the global?

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