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Reading that I couldn't help but think there's parallels to HN. At least HN tries to be transparent about "the algorithm", and it's essentially a dumb algorithm

by fouc 1y ago

Reading that I couldn't help but think there's parallels to HN. At least HN tries to be transparent about "the algorithm", and it's essentially a dumb algorithm compared to what X/FB/etc use.

joseda-hg 1y ago
I think it's fundamentally different in HN, everyone sees the same posts/comments (Barring settings / mod privileges), but in X everyone can get a slightly tailored feed
- Clubber 1y ago
  I'm sure there's coordinated efforts to up/downvote content on HN. The political articles are way up and certain reasonable comments seem to be unreasonably downvoted. It seems like it's ramped up since the election. Either that or HN is becoming a natural echo chamber, I'm not quite sure. If people don't already know, the internet is easily manipulated and people tend to get ideas and reassurances of ideas based on what their group's opinions are, and those opinions are manipulated. It's easy to create multiple accounts, easy to change IP addresses, easy to bot comments; anyone can do it and it's easy to automate. The earliest example I can recall was manipulating the Amazon ratings system, now it's everywhere.
alabastervlog 1y ago
"The Algorithm" on most social media platforms to which people apply that term is, crucially, personalized, and (usually) heavily driven by engagement metrics. That's what makes them dangerous and shitty, not just having a voting system or sorting by latest post ("technically an algorithm!" as some posters will helpfully point out in these kinds of discussions)
kuschkufan 1y ago
on hn the algorithm boosts/hides posts and comments based on the popularity of the user account that upvoted/downvoted? i thought all accounts had the same voting weight.
- bikezen 1y ago
  You even even downvote on HN until you pass some bar
Philpax 1y ago
Is it that transparent? I did not know about the vast majority of the items on this list until I encountered it: https://github.com/minimaxir/hacker-news-undocumented https://github.com/minimaxir/hacker-news-undocumented
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- johntitorjr 1y ago
  [dead]
- _Algernon_ 1y ago
  Certainly more transparent than some black box machine learning monstrosity.
2OEH8eoCRo0 1y ago
I'd like HN to indicate somewhere on the page when mods override flags or make other moderation decisions. They won't because it would reveal moderation biases and trends.

by fouc 1y ago

Reading that I couldn't help but think there's parallels to HN. At least HN tries to be transparent about "the algorithm", and it's essentially a dumb algorithm compared to what X/FB/etc use.

joseda-hg 1y ago

I think it's fundamentally different in HN, everyone sees the same posts/comments (Barring settings / mod privileges), but in X everyone can get a slightly tailored feed

Clubber 1y ago
I'm sure there's coordinated efforts to up/downvote content on HN. The political articles are way up and certain reasonable comments seem to be unreasonably downvoted. It seems like it's ramped up since the election. Either that or HN is becoming a natural echo chamber, I'm not quite sure. If people don't already know, the internet is easily manipulated and people tend to get ideas and reassurances of ideas based on what their group's opinions are, and those opinions are manipulated. It's easy to create multiple accounts, easy to change IP addresses, easy to bot comments; anyone can do it and it's easy to automate. The earliest example I can recall was manipulating the Amazon ratings system, now it's everywhere.

alabastervlog 1y ago

"The Algorithm" on most social media platforms to which people apply that term is, crucially, personalized, and (usually) heavily driven by engagement metrics. That's what makes them dangerous and shitty, not just having a voting system or sorting by latest post ("technically an algorithm!" as some posters will helpfully point out in these kinds of discussions)

kuschkufan 1y ago

on hn the algorithm boosts/hides posts and comments based on the popularity of the user account that upvoted/downvoted? i thought all accounts had the same voting weight.

bikezen 1y ago
You even even downvote on HN until you pass some bar

Philpax 1y ago

Is it that transparent? I did not know about the vast majority of the items on this list until I encountered it: https://github.com/minimaxir/hacker-news-undocumented https://github.com/minimaxir/hacker-news-undocumented

deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
johntitorjr 1y ago
[dead]
_Algernon_ 1y ago
Certainly more transparent than some black box machine learning monstrosity.

2OEH8eoCRo0 1y ago

I'd like HN to indicate somewhere on the page when mods override flags or make other moderation decisions. They won't because it would reveal moderation biases and trends.