Yes, 'The Algorithm' REALLY IS Like That

[CleverNickName]

A whistleblower talks about how profits, politicians, and "engagement" are prioritized over safety in social media.

Meta and TikTok let harmful content rise after evidence outrage drove engagement - whistleblowers

Companies allowed more harmful content on user’s feeds, knowing their algorithms ran on outrage, BBC hears.

www.bbc.com

I mean, we all sort of suspected this already, but this might be the first insider confirmation.

 

[Scribe]

Ghouls.

 

[Ryujin]

A whistleblower talks about how profits, politicians, and "engagement" are prioritized over safety in social media.

Meta and TikTok let harmful content rise after evidence outrage drove engagement - whistleblowers

Companies allowed more harmful content on user’s feeds, knowing their algorithms ran on outrage, BBC hears.

www.bbc.com

I mean, we all sort of suspected this already, but this might be the first insider confirmation.

Tiktok is giving out strikes for posting provable facts.

 

[Micah Sweet]

That is despicable, but as you say unsurprising.

 

[CleverNickName]

Ah well. It's not like they are using social media platforms for anything of lasting consequence. They aren't using this stuff to train any LLMs or anything, right?

...right?

 

[Umbran]

So, it looks past time for social media to come with warning labels about its content.

Maybe a nice dialog, every time the page loads or content refreshes?

 

[aco175]

 

[TheSword]

So, it looks past time for social media to come with warning labels about its content.

Maybe a nice dialog, every time the page loads or content refreshes?

I would go much further. I really do think the world right now would be dramatically improved if four things all happened.

1. No social media for under 16s

2. Remove the feed and the doomscrolling, the only way to watch a video or story is to personally choose to open it.

3. People should be liable for statements they made on social media if it can be determined that an individual suffered harm through actions that relied on that statement. Eg. unverified health claims, or dangerous activities without telling people about the proper precautions.

And the big one…

4. Only individuals (not groups/organizations) be alllowed social media accounts and they had to provide ID documents/passport driving licence. Their name printed on each post along with their country of origin.

 

[Scribe]

4. Only individuals (not groups/organizations) be alllowed social media accounts and they had to provide ID documents/passport driving licence. Their name printed on each post along with their country of origin.

No Government or Media either.

The fact it's a perfect propaganda/social engineering/disinformation tool is no accident.