twitter/the-algorithm • Hacker News Board

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#31

Post by krapp » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:21 PM UTC

influx wrote: post #9

Irishsteve wrote: post #7

Many people have commented that it is empty. However what they do not realize is that there has never actually been an algorithm and that is why it is empty.

There's not an algorithm to order timelines?

There probably is not "an algorithm" on a site as large and complex as Twitter, no. There are probably dozens if not hundreds of algorithms spread throughout the codebase which affect the timeline for individual users, possibly even code entirely self-generated by ML systems.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#32

Post by Hamuko » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:21 PM UTC

influx wrote: post #9

Irishsteve wrote: post #7

Many people have commented that it is empty. However what they do not realize is that there has never actually been an algorithm and that is why it is empty.

There's not an algorithm to order timelines?

  ORDER BY timestamp DESC;

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#33

Post by jdrc » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:21 PM UTC

I know the algorithm i use, it ends with ORDER BY date DESC.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#34

Post by g105b » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:21 PM UTC

Can someone explain this to me? All I can see from this link is an empty GitHub repository. Not sure what I'm missing here.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#35

Post by jdrc » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

influx wrote: post #9

Irishsteve wrote: post #7

Many people have commented that it is empty. However what they do not realize is that there has never actually been an algorithm and that is why it is empty.

There's not an algorithm to order timelines?

just birds poking random tweets

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#36

Post by unethical_ban » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

There are elements of their algo that I think should be openly defined, and perhaps there should be some regulatory branch that reports to Congress that has full access. However, obfuscation is often necessary to countering bad actors.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#37

Post by abduhl » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

jonwinstanley wrote: post #27

influx wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's not an algorithm to order timelines?

If it’s a list of tweets ordered based on a kajillion ML data points that varies per user is it still an algorithm? And does every user have their own algorithm? And could it be made readable to a human?

Yes, irrelevant, and the code somewhere is readable.

Take an example like gravity: is there an algorithm for how gravity acts even though it varies per each molecule based on a kajillion other molecules? Of course there is.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#38

Post by Synaesthesia » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

So nobody is being shadowbanned or suppressed?

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#39

Post by nickysielicki » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

Surely you guys don’t think that twitters sorting algorithm is already factored out into its own repo. Of course it’s empty.

That doesn’t mean it’s a joke, I see it as a show of goodwill — that there are a handful of people inside Twitter that are excited for transparency and for a revenue model that isn’t entirely based on ads, that are excited to get to work on this right away.

Re: twitter/the-algorithm

#40

Post by brink » Mon, Apr 25, 2022, 9:22 PM UTC

mostlysimilar wrote: post #22

CincinnatiMan wrote: post #12

Makes me wonder how Twitter employees internally are handling the news. If they are celebrating or commiserating?

Twitter Locks Down Product Changes After Agreeing to Musk Bid - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/twitter-locks-down-product-ch...

Looks like a wise move to keep potential destructive protests at bay.