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Can we just ban algorithms for content and go back to chronological feeds circa 2004 Facebook? Or maybe ban all content that the user isn't explicitly subscrib

by drunner 29d ago

Can we just ban algorithms for content and go back to chronological feeds circa 2004 Facebook? Or maybe ban all content that the user isn't explicitly subscribed to. Those both have problems too, I'm sure.

shaewest 29d ago
I think the major issue is, people still have the option of those older forms of feeds, people just don't like them. New social media competitors (ie Tiktok) have won users by having even more powerful algorithms rather than other options.
- demibabs 29d ago
  Of course, but the users can’t be trusted to stay away from something designed to addict them. Only real solution is regulation, although the how is still a big question mark.
  - shaewest 29d ago
    I would ask, where is the line drawn between 'enjoyment and addiction.' Is it the harm provided? Then what do we count as harm, and where is the line. IE, There's no one stopping me from eating unhealthy, IE sugary foods, which are heavily addictive. I ride a motorbike, and I'd consider myself addicted to that, and it's got a high chance of harm, but we don't ban those. Ditto with gaming, social media, hobby XYZ. I personally think the freedom to choose your vice is reasonable.
    - 2gay 27d ago
      Maybe this freedom sounds reasonable at first. Pew Research says 36% of 13–17 year olds are on social media almost constantly [0]. This is not a problem that existed 20 years ago. The ease of access to highly addictive products is rotting the soul of society. 0: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social...
- itake 29d ago
  How? The 2 feeds on my IG account: "posts" and "reels" show content of people that I do not follow.
  - dumberquestions 29d ago
    Instagram definitely doesn't have the option but youtube for instance does, there's a subscription tab that's collecting dust in most people's accounts.
    - arxari 29d ago
      NewPipe even has the subscription feed pretty centered
  - froidpink 29d ago
    if you click on the ig logo you can switch to a feed that only shows accounts you follow
    - itake 28d ago
      oo thanks for the tip. sadly, this view still shows posts from advertisers that I don't follow. but that is the nature of the beast I guess.
TJSomething 29d ago
Chronological feeds tend to be gameable by growth hacking. Still better than a lot of things. One of the tricky things for me is feed aggregation for balancing subscriptions between people who post a lot and people who don't. It also might be interesting if video recommendations were curated feeds by the creator.
jrflo 29d ago
I build a safari extension to do just this (block all content that isn't explicitly subscribed to by the user) and it's a remarkably better experience. This is my hot take that most people seem to disagree with: the vast majority of culture wars we are having today would not exist without content recommendation algorithms.
NietTim 29d ago
We have that in the EU, they mandated it. It finally made instagram use-able for me again. Did instagram geo-gate that feature? Wouldn't surprise me, but still.

by drunner 29d ago

shaewest 29d ago

I think the major issue is, people still have the option of those older forms of feeds, people just don't like them. New social media competitors (ie Tiktok) have won users by having even more powerful algorithms rather than other options.

demibabs 29d ago
Of course, but the users can’t be trusted to stay away from something designed to addict them. Only real solution is regulation, although the how is still a big question mark.
- shaewest 29d ago
  I would ask, where is the line drawn between 'enjoyment and addiction.' Is it the harm provided? Then what do we count as harm, and where is the line. IE, There's no one stopping me from eating unhealthy, IE sugary foods, which are heavily addictive. I ride a motorbike, and I'd consider myself addicted to that, and it's got a high chance of harm, but we don't ban those. Ditto with gaming, social media, hobby XYZ. I personally think the freedom to choose your vice is reasonable.
  - 2gay 27d ago
    Maybe this freedom sounds reasonable at first. Pew Research says 36% of 13–17 year olds are on social media almost constantly [0]. This is not a problem that existed 20 years ago. The ease of access to highly addictive products is rotting the soul of society. 0: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/ https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social...
itake 29d ago
How? The 2 feeds on my IG account: "posts" and "reels" show content of people that I do not follow.
- dumberquestions 29d ago
  Instagram definitely doesn't have the option but youtube for instance does, there's a subscription tab that's collecting dust in most people's accounts.
  - arxari 29d ago
    NewPipe even has the subscription feed pretty centered
- froidpink 29d ago
  if you click on the ig logo you can switch to a feed that only shows accounts you follow
  - itake 28d ago
    oo thanks for the tip. sadly, this view still shows posts from advertisers that I don't follow. but that is the nature of the beast I guess.

TJSomething 29d ago

Chronological feeds tend to be gameable by growth hacking. Still better than a lot of things. One of the tricky things for me is feed aggregation for balancing subscriptions between people who post a lot and people who don't. It also might be interesting if video recommendations were curated feeds by the creator.

jrflo 29d ago

I build a safari extension to do just this (block all content that isn't explicitly subscribed to by the user) and it's a remarkably better experience. This is my hot take that most people seem to disagree with: the vast majority of culture wars we are having today would not exist without content recommendation algorithms.

NietTim 29d ago

We have that in the EU, they mandated it. It finally made instagram use-able for me again. Did instagram geo-gate that feature? Wouldn't surprise me, but still.