3 ms·

Those shock jockeys didn’t use your browsing history to determine exactly which conspiracies you will be most susceptible to. Denying the responsibility of YouT

Those shock jockeys didn’t use your browsing history to determine exactly which conspiracies you will be most susceptible to. Denying the responsibility of YouTube, Facebook and other platforms that pursue viewer engagement at any cost by calling them a “symptom” of society is disingenuous and almost ill intended. “Hey the cancer that put you in bed is just a symptom of who you are.”

fzeroracer 6y ago
Those shock jockeys engaged their viewers through taking calls, reaching out or otherwise. I'm not denying the responsibility of social media sites by abusing their algorithmic bullshit, but the fact of the matter is that the modern conspiracy theorist originated with the radio. That's where Alex Jones got his start among many others. If you don't know the history of how these things started, then all you'll do by removing Youtube, Facebook et al is treat one part of the cancer when it's metastasized to the rest of your body. It's ignorant. Sites like Infowars or Breitbart will rise from their ashes and we will have solved nothing.
- DevKoala 6y ago
  Of course there are actors that downright pursue infecting the minds of people. However, the problem did not get out of control until the content platforms found those who were more susceptible to their message “at scale”.
dehrmann 6y ago
Maybe it's semantics, but you're giving to much credit to recommendations. There's no intent that specific; all they really do is see that you liked X, and most people who liked X like Y, so it shows you Y. Politically, it causes echo chambers, it can show people all sorts of conspiracy theories, but my Youtube recommendations right now are showing me rollercoasters, airplanes, magic tricks, and cooking.
- DevKoala 6y ago
  I understand that it is just sophisticated look alike targeting. Also, I don’t mean to say that the original intent of the designers is evil. However, the effects on viewers have to be analyzed, and most likely some changes are needed to stop people from falling into these echo chambers.

fzeroracer 6y ago

Those shock jockeys engaged their viewers through taking calls, reaching out or otherwise. I'm not denying the responsibility of social media sites by abusing their algorithmic bullshit, but the fact of the matter is that the modern conspiracy theorist originated with the radio. That's where Alex Jones got his start among many others. If you don't know the history of how these things started, then all you'll do by removing Youtube, Facebook et al is treat one part of the cancer when it's metastasized to the rest of your body. It's ignorant. Sites like Infowars or Breitbart will rise from their ashes and we will have solved nothing.

DevKoala 6y ago
Of course there are actors that downright pursue infecting the minds of people. However, the problem did not get out of control until the content platforms found those who were more susceptible to their message “at scale”.

dehrmann 6y ago

Maybe it's semantics, but you're giving to much credit to recommendations. There's no intent that specific; all they really do is see that you liked X, and most people who liked X like Y, so it shows you Y. Politically, it causes echo chambers, it can show people all sorts of conspiracy theories, but my Youtube recommendations right now are showing me rollercoasters, airplanes, magic tricks, and cooking.

DevKoala 6y ago
I understand that it is just sophisticated look alike targeting. Also, I don’t mean to say that the original intent of the designers is evil. However, the effects on viewers have to be analyzed, and most likely some changes are needed to stop people from falling into these echo chambers.