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It's definitely possible to have a good experience without personalization. Depending on how much you inherently value google not storing data about you, it may

It's definitely possible to have a good experience without personalization. Depending on how much you inherently value google not storing data about you, it may be the only way for you to be happy. But it's very unlikely the actual product experience would be worse with personalization enabled, measured by probability that a search includes something relevant near the top.

singron 6y ago
Of course the single best way to make the top more relevant is to block ads. On YouTube, I highly recommend turning off personalization and watch history, especially if you find yourself spending too much time there clicking recommended videos. Without history, it will pretty reliably recommend the same videos again and again, which can help you realize when you have seen a lot and might want to stop.
ethbro 6y ago
As someone who remembers the web before personalization, the product experience was better. It may be true that Google has over-invested in personalization-driven features, and under-invested in user-neutral features. Personalization belongs in the agent. Specifically, the agent that I own and control.
- mgraczyk 6y ago
  So Google sends metadata for 5B videos to your browser, then your browser ranks them and shows you the best one? How would your agent do personalization?
  - ethbro 6y ago
    Why doesn't my browser compile and store my viewing habits, then construct searches for me? Searches which Google then executes? Centralized services have built personalization systems in which they operate the personalization algorithms. I don't have a problem with that, per se, except in that their interests (profit) and user interests (effectiveness) are only partially aligned. The biggest reason, as near as I can tell, these system architectures were built is that control of personalization algorithms means (1) a means and reason to collect and retain data on users (that can be used for targeted advertisement) & (2) a means to execute targeted advertisement (via insertion into "recommended" content). It's likely the only way these services are possible at the "free" price point. But it's disingenuous to suggest that they're the only model by which personalization could be realized.
jjj123 6y ago
There are lots of examples of where personalization results in a worse experience for users but better metrics for the tech company. Somehow the Instagram ads algorithm has figured out exactly what I’m self conscious about with my own body; all I see are ads for invisible braces, skin cleansers, and hair treatments. I don’t actually want to buy any of these things, and they make me feel bad to look at. A de-personalized Instagram experience would be far superior to me.
- mgraczyk 6y ago
  You can click the ... menu, then "hide ad". It will show you fewer similar ads in the future. An unpersonalized IG ad experience would be teenage women's clothing and Netflix branding (assuming you're in the US). You probably don't want that either.
  - chottocharaii 6y ago
    Irrelevant ads in this situation, sounds like they are less annoying than invasive ads
  - tirpen 6y ago
    Why wouldn't I want that? It's not like I want to be successfully manipulated by ads, so getting shown irrelevant ads is just a big win in my book.
  - squiggleblaz 6y ago
    Well, that explains my IG account. They do seem to know something about me; and one point, they literally recommended some old friends (even tho I wasn't using enough of my name, or my history, or the same email address as in those days, and we had no independent friends in common).
  - jjj123 6y ago
    You mean like how every TV ad works? Yeah that sounds preferable.

singron 6y ago

Of course the single best way to make the top more relevant is to block ads. On YouTube, I highly recommend turning off personalization and watch history, especially if you find yourself spending too much time there clicking recommended videos. Without history, it will pretty reliably recommend the same videos again and again, which can help you realize when you have seen a lot and might want to stop.

ethbro 6y ago

As someone who remembers the web before personalization, the product experience was better. It may be true that Google has over-invested in personalization-driven features, and under-invested in user-neutral features. Personalization belongs in the agent. Specifically, the agent that I own and control.

mgraczyk 6y ago
So Google sends metadata for 5B videos to your browser, then your browser ranks them and shows you the best one? How would your agent do personalization?
- ethbro 6y ago
  Why doesn't my browser compile and store my viewing habits, then construct searches for me? Searches which Google then executes? Centralized services have built personalization systems in which they operate the personalization algorithms. I don't have a problem with that, per se, except in that their interests (profit) and user interests (effectiveness) are only partially aligned. The biggest reason, as near as I can tell, these system architectures were built is that control of personalization algorithms means (1) a means and reason to collect and retain data on users (that can be used for targeted advertisement) & (2) a means to execute targeted advertisement (via insertion into "recommended" content). It's likely the only way these services are possible at the "free" price point. But it's disingenuous to suggest that they're the only model by which personalization could be realized.

jjj123 6y ago

There are lots of examples of where personalization results in a worse experience for users but better metrics for the tech company. Somehow the Instagram ads algorithm has figured out exactly what I’m self conscious about with my own body; all I see are ads for invisible braces, skin cleansers, and hair treatments. I don’t actually want to buy any of these things, and they make me feel bad to look at. A de-personalized Instagram experience would be far superior to me.

mgraczyk 6y ago
You can click the ... menu, then "hide ad". It will show you fewer similar ads in the future. An unpersonalized IG ad experience would be teenage women's clothing and Netflix branding (assuming you're in the US). You probably don't want that either.
- chottocharaii 6y ago
  Irrelevant ads in this situation, sounds like they are less annoying than invasive ads
- tirpen 6y ago
  Why wouldn't I want that? It's not like I want to be successfully manipulated by ads, so getting shown irrelevant ads is just a big win in my book.
- squiggleblaz 6y ago
  Well, that explains my IG account. They do seem to know something about me; and one point, they literally recommended some old friends (even tho I wasn't using enough of my name, or my history, or the same email address as in those days, and we had no independent friends in common).
- jjj123 6y ago
  You mean like how every TV ad works? Yeah that sounds preferable.