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The content promoted by the algorithm results in higher user engagement because people like it. If they didn’t, the algorithm would have been changed to promote

The content promoted by the algorithm results in higher user engagement because people like it. If they didn’t, the algorithm would have been changed to promote other kinds of content instead.

zozbot234 4y ago
It turns out that people are more likely to engage with content they don't like, at least when it comes to factional politics. So that's what ends up being promoted the most.
hn_throwaway_99 4y ago
Define "like it". Many people also drink themselves to death or OD on heroin because they "like it". I don't think it's that hard to differentiate between things people do for enjoyment that they think of as a positive influence, and addictive substances that can fleetingly make people "feel better" but are extremely harmful. Most addicts may say they enjoy getting high, while even simultaneously talking about how drugs have ruined their lives. The fact that social media companies have hacked the same brain pathways doesn't mean the answer should be "it's fine, they all like it!"
- Karrot_Kream 4y ago
  Yes and different cultures have different appetites for these vices. For example, in East Asia it's much more acceptable to gamble than it is in most Western countries. In most of Europe it's more acceptable to do drugs than it is in the US, and the US finds it much more acceptable to do drugs than East Asia does. In East Asia it's common to be openly drunk, at night, in public. In the US it's much more acceptable to enjoy firearms than it is in Europe or East Asia. There's no easy answer to "this is toxic, we should ban it." Everyone has a different definition of toxic. Cultures form around different norms. Social media, like HN, spans multiple continents and cultures. I don't think you'll ever be able to get all of the userbase of any of these sites to agree on what is toxic and what is not. I'm of the opinion that the user should be able to: 1. Audit their algorithmic recommender to see which bin they're bucketed into. 2. Adjust the weights on the recommender But anything more, any form of broad agreement on toxicity, is asking for humans around the world to land at a single definition of what is good and what is bad.
soco 4y ago
Controversial content is the one getting promoted more. More often not because of the content itself, but because of the amount of comments (read, fights) attached to it.

The content promoted by the algorithm results in higher user engagement because people like it. If they didn’t, the algorithm would have been changed to promote other kinds of content instead.

zozbot234 4y ago

It turns out that people are more likely to engage with content they don't like, at least when it comes to factional politics. So that's what ends up being promoted the most.

hn_throwaway_99 4y ago

Define "like it". Many people also drink themselves to death or OD on heroin because they "like it". I don't think it's that hard to differentiate between things people do for enjoyment that they think of as a positive influence, and addictive substances that can fleetingly make people "feel better" but are extremely harmful. Most addicts may say they enjoy getting high, while even simultaneously talking about how drugs have ruined their lives. The fact that social media companies have hacked the same brain pathways doesn't mean the answer should be "it's fine, they all like it!"

Karrot_Kream 4y ago
Yes and different cultures have different appetites for these vices. For example, in East Asia it's much more acceptable to gamble than it is in most Western countries. In most of Europe it's more acceptable to do drugs than it is in the US, and the US finds it much more acceptable to do drugs than East Asia does. In East Asia it's common to be openly drunk, at night, in public. In the US it's much more acceptable to enjoy firearms than it is in Europe or East Asia. There's no easy answer to "this is toxic, we should ban it." Everyone has a different definition of toxic. Cultures form around different norms. Social media, like HN, spans multiple continents and cultures. I don't think you'll ever be able to get all of the userbase of any of these sites to agree on what is toxic and what is not. I'm of the opinion that the user should be able to: 1. Audit their algorithmic recommender to see which bin they're bucketed into. 2. Adjust the weights on the recommender But anything more, any form of broad agreement on toxicity, is asking for humans around the world to land at a single definition of what is good and what is bad.

soco 4y ago

Controversial content is the one getting promoted more. More often not because of the content itself, but because of the amount of comments (read, fights) attached to it.