4 ms·
Hostility, it turns out is "engagement" which is profitable. We went from people organically paring themselves to algorithms steering people towards "engaging"
by li2uR3ce 3y ago
Hostility, it turns out is "engagement" which is profitable. We went from people organically paring themselves to algorithms steering people towards "engaging" encounters. Where we used to say "don't feed the trolls" we should now be saying "don't feed the algorithm."
I suppose we shouldn't feed either one but right now "the algorithm" is the bigger threat. I mean, I can usually get a troll to work for me with a bit of patience and perseverance... algorithms? They'll only work for me if it's profitable for someone else. It's so soulless.
- Karrot_Kream 3y agoI don't think that's true though I know a lot of people on HN do. People just respond to ragebait. Look on here and on Mastodon. Angry posts still generate the most engagement. I mean, forums used to have everlasting hellthreads that were so bitter that owners would cordon them off onto mega 300 page long threads. Usenet had and still has hellthreads and individuals can choose how they sort their "feeds"! But your post is pretty typical of the viewpoint you see in these technical circles. I know some non-technical small business owners and while dealing with "the algorithm" can be stressful, many of them respect the power of the algorithm to generate awareness of their products. That's what I mean. Niche spaces online have become tribal and niche just like they used to be when they were offline. The brief open period of the web was just the time period when the old ingroup was joined by everyone else.