7 ms·

Except it isn't just the spread of misinformation. Even more important (IMHO) is the insulating effect of showing people only like-minded opinions, effectively

Except it isn't just the spread of misinformation. Even more important (IMHO) is the insulating effect of showing people only like-minded opinions, effectively trapping everyone in a bubble. I can't think of any way Facebook can solve this problem without drastically decreasing their reliance on ad revenue. What are they going to do, force people to view opinions they disagree with?

gdulli 10y ago
Everyone should be responsible for the curation of their own timeline. I barely use Facebook but hate the idea that I didn't get a straight chronological feed. I was a huge fan of Twitter but was driven away when they followed suit. My reasons had more to do with my own preference of how I enjoy using the service, but having algorithms manipulate the information I see so as to maximize engagement metrics is even more troubling.
- lotharbot 10y ago
  There is a "chronological" option on facebook.
  - gdulli 10y ago
    It's illusory. They may or may not, based on their algorithms, bump something old to the top of your feed after it gets a like or a new comment. They call it "most recent" and they can define "recent" the way they want to.
tomjen3 10y ago
It wouldn't even work. Reread the news you found that you agreed with - how much of it is simply restating the same basic things and calling the other side evil, stupid, etc, at least indirectly? If somebody with different believes than you were forced to read those, do you think the resulting society was more or less polarized? The kind of content you need to do that is already disadvantaged since it has to be toned way down, and that makes it less much less likely to be shared in the first place.
tdkl 10y ago
> showing people only like-minded opinions Can't wait until they do the opposite in case of free speech then get sued by people who can't deal with their emotions and accept them. Some of them are already out protesting (and some "protesting" with destroying property[1]). But hey I guess helicopter parenting and after that safe-space culture they grew in can only get you so far. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9lm-T87AQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9lm-T87AQ
fullshark 10y ago
Not every decision needs to have a positive impact on the bottom line. Sometimes decisions are made which hurt revenue/profit for branding reasons.
millermp12 10y ago
Can't this charge be leveled at the NYTimes? Misinformation is not a right-wing phenomenon, as much as it appears to be a comfort food for the Left these days. It's very telling that the "obvious" solution for the defeated party is a more powerful stranglehold on the flow of information, to appoint the "right" people to curate reality for those who cannot be trusted with it. In which case, it's going to be a long sojourn in the wilderness my friends...

gdulli 10y ago

Everyone should be responsible for the curation of their own timeline. I barely use Facebook but hate the idea that I didn't get a straight chronological feed. I was a huge fan of Twitter but was driven away when they followed suit. My reasons had more to do with my own preference of how I enjoy using the service, but having algorithms manipulate the information I see so as to maximize engagement metrics is even more troubling.

lotharbot 10y ago
There is a "chronological" option on facebook.
- gdulli 10y ago
  It's illusory. They may or may not, based on their algorithms, bump something old to the top of your feed after it gets a like or a new comment. They call it "most recent" and they can define "recent" the way they want to.

tomjen3 10y ago

It wouldn't even work. Reread the news you found that you agreed with - how much of it is simply restating the same basic things and calling the other side evil, stupid, etc, at least indirectly? If somebody with different believes than you were forced to read those, do you think the resulting society was more or less polarized? The kind of content you need to do that is already disadvantaged since it has to be toned way down, and that makes it less much less likely to be shared in the first place.

tdkl 10y ago

> showing people only like-minded opinions Can't wait until they do the opposite in case of free speech then get sued by people who can't deal with their emotions and accept them. Some of them are already out protesting (and some "protesting" with destroying property[1]). But hey I guess helicopter parenting and after that safe-space culture they grew in can only get you so far. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9lm-T87AQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d9lm-T87AQ

fullshark 10y ago

Not every decision needs to have a positive impact on the bottom line. Sometimes decisions are made which hurt revenue/profit for branding reasons.

millermp12 10y ago

Can't this charge be leveled at the NYTimes? Misinformation is not a right-wing phenomenon, as much as it appears to be a comfort food for the Left these days. It's very telling that the "obvious" solution for the defeated party is a more powerful stranglehold on the flow of information, to appoint the "right" people to curate reality for those who cannot be trusted with it. In which case, it's going to be a long sojourn in the wilderness my friends...