BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#1

Post by ValG » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 6:20 PM UTC

BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found
buzzfeed.com

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#2

Post by knrz » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 7:08 PM UTC

I for one was really pleasantly surprised to be reading this great article — from Buzzfeed of all places!

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#3

Post by disgruntledphd2 » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 7:36 PM UTC

This is both a good article, and a wonderful example of quantitative analysis applied for a news-worthy cause.

I especially like that they have the full data processing code available: https://buzzfeednews.github.io/2017-08-spy-plane-finder/

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#4

Post by belovedeagle » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 9:33 PM UTC

knrz wrote: post #2

I for one was really pleasantly surprised to be reading this great article — from Buzzfeed of all places!

Buzzfeed has a lot of good journalism, apparently. I never go to their site and seek it out, but when it's linked it's very good like this piece.

It shouldn't be so surprising; if CNN and NYT can fill their sites with clickbait, why can't Buzzfeed step in to fill the gap of investigative journalism? Hell, I trust Buzzfeed more than the other two; at least with Buzzfeed you can tell right away whether you're reading clickbait or real journalism.

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#5

Post by jlgaddis » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 10:01 PM UTC

belovedeagle wrote: post #4

knrz wrote: post #2

I for one was really pleasantly surprised to be reading this great article — from Buzzfeed of all places!

Buzzfeed has a lot of good journalism, apparently. I never go to their site and seek it out, but when it's linked it's very good like this piece. It shouldn't be so surprising; if CNN and NYT can fill their sites with clickbait, why can't Buzzfeed step in to fill the gap of investigative journalism? Hell, I trust Buzzfeed more than the other two; at least with Buzzfeed you can tell right away whether you're reading c…

Buzzfeed mostly is (or was; I pretty much stopped reading it) clickbait but every once in a while they have great in-depth, high-quality articles like this. I suppose it takes much longer to investigate and write these articles than it does to churn out the clickbait.

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#6

Post by kondro » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 10:32 PM UTC

knrz wrote: post #2

I for one was really pleasantly surprised to be reading this great article — from Buzzfeed of all places!

Same thing goes for Vice on a lot of occasions.

Re: BuzzFeed Trained a Computer to Search for Spy Planes. This Is What We Found

#7

Post by eridius » Mon, Aug 07, 2017, 11:16 PM UTC

jlgaddis wrote: post #5

belovedeagle wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buzzfeed has a lot of good journalism, apparently. I never go to their site and seek it out, but when it's linked it's very good like this piece. It shouldn't be so surprising; if CNN and NYT can fill their sites with clickbait, why can't Buzzfeed step in to fill the gap of investigative journalism? Hell, I trust Buzzfeed more than the other two; at least with Buzzfeed you can tell right away whether you're reading c…

Buzzfeed mostly is (or was; I pretty much stopped reading it) clickbait but every once in a while they have great in-depth, high-quality articles like this. I suppose it takes much longer to investigate and write these articles than it does to churn out the clickbait.

If you look at the top of this article, you'll see it's actually branded as BuzzFeed News. The BuzzFeed brand itself is still clickbait, BuzzFeed News is the journalism side of things.