Comment by aix1
4 days ago
> we will look back at the algorithmic content feed as being on par with leaded gasoline or cigarettes in terms of societal harm
I agree 100%.
However, I think the core issue is not the use of an algorithm to recommend or even to show stuff.
I think the issue is that the algorithm is optimized for the interests of a platform (max engagement => max ad revenue) and not for the interests of a user (happiness, delight, however you want to frame it).
And there's way too much of this, everywhere.
We live in a society that only values money so why should anyone optimise for s.th. else?
This frames society as some exogenous entity that we have no influence over.
It also assumes that the society is homogenous, in the sense that everyone cares about the same thing. I don't think that's true at all.
But the people with control of mechanisms of power like social influence do only care about money, so the voices of people who have other values become irrelevant.