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> Then TikTok came along and it's kind of disproven that? ... none of the algorithmically generated content is as polarizing as what I would find on the other a

> Then TikTok came along and it's kind of disproven that? ... none of the algorithmically generated content is as polarizing as what I would find on the other apps. I don't think this is fully accurate. The big differentiator for Tik Tok's algorithmic feed from FB's or Youtube's (in my mind) is not its accuracy or lack of polarization, it's actually that it draws much firmer and harder to cross lines between the parts of its userbase with an (IMO intentionally) nerfed search capability, so it's very difficult to break out of the demographic/interest bubble it decides you are in for feed purposes. So you, personally, probably receive literally no polarizing, political, etc content that you aren't happy to see. But that doesn't mean it's not there! Here's an example: a researcher set up a new account, interacted with transphobic content, and was very quickly (in a few hours of viewing) seeing far-right conspiracy theory, antisemitic, white supremacy (and so on) content, some of which was endorsing violence. https://twitter.com/abbieasr/status/1445888305997000705 https://twitter.com/abbieasr/status/1445888305997000705

riantogo 5y ago
In my personal experience with tiktok it will pigeonhole you rapidly. But overall the platform is heavy on silly and fun content (not sure if it intentionally maintained like that by the owners). So before you know it you are pigeonholed into extremely fun stuff (compared to tediously polarizing content on other big apps). Now over time it might devolve into bad content if there is no higher level moderation to keep it on lighter side of things. I would personally be okay with not all platforms being totally democratic.
data_ders 5y ago
isn't ByteDance's play with TikTok to be as inoffensive as possible too? over-greedy filtering out of voices deemed to be "controversial"
908B64B197 5y ago
ByteDance (字节跳动) the parent company that owns TikTok and mainland china Douyin 抖音 have been caught suppressing and hiding videos from disabled or LGBTQ users so that they are not shown to regular users. [0] [1] One might wonder what other content is suppressed on the platform. [2] [0] https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-fat-lgbtq-disabled-creators/ https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-fat-lgbtq-disabled-creat... [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50645345 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50645345 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-how-tiktok-censors-videos-that-do-not-please-beijing https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-...

riantogo 5y ago

In my personal experience with tiktok it will pigeonhole you rapidly. But overall the platform is heavy on silly and fun content (not sure if it intentionally maintained like that by the owners). So before you know it you are pigeonholed into extremely fun stuff (compared to tediously polarizing content on other big apps). Now over time it might devolve into bad content if there is no higher level moderation to keep it on lighter side of things. I would personally be okay with not all platforms being totally democratic.

data_ders 5y ago

isn't ByteDance's play with TikTok to be as inoffensive as possible too? over-greedy filtering out of voices deemed to be "controversial"

908B64B197 5y ago

ByteDance (字节跳动) the parent company that owns TikTok and mainland china Douyin 抖音 have been caught suppressing and hiding videos from disabled or LGBTQ users so that they are not shown to regular users. [0] [1] One might wonder what other content is suppressed on the platform. [2] [0] https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-fat-lgbtq-disabled-creators/ https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-fat-lgbtq-disabled-creat... [1] https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50645345 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50645345 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-how-tiktok-censors-videos-that-do-not-please-beijing https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-...