Social media algorithms cause the problems with social media, not the software itself. The software is great, but the algorithms suck.
I have a social media account on Bluesky on which I can follow my favourite reporters, scientist, footballers, politicians, and anyone else, or any subject I find interesting. I can comment on each of them, but I don’t see the comments of others unless I specifically click on the article. Bluesky is what I expect from a social media account. It keeps me up to date on all the relevant news of the day, or with my friends and relatives, without adverts and without seeing any pointless comments.
In short, it’s what Facebook used to be, but is no longer. Facebook not only displays the original post, but also displays the comments whether I want to see them or not. Not only does it display the comments, but it also has an algorithm which decides which comments are ‘most relevant’. Not ‘most relevant’ to me. Not ‘most relevant’ to the original post or poster. The algorithm displays the posts ‘most relevant’ to Facebook. To put it another way. The algorithm decides which comments will generate most income for Facebook’s owners.
I can give you an example.
Choose to follow a politician on Bluesky, and you will see their original posts about whatever subject they want to tell you about on any particular day. You can read their article without seeing any comments, but if you do decide to read the comments they appear in time order. For most politicians, 48 percent of the comments will be favourable, 48 percent will be unfavourable, and 4 percent will be downright abusive or offensive. That’s the nature of politics, but the comments usually provide a balanced view.
Choose to follow the same politician on Facebook, and you see an original headline followed by the ‘most relevant’ comments, whether you want to see the comments or not. ‘Most relevant’ in this context are the 4 percent abusive or offensive comments, which are often nothing to do with the original post itself. Sure, you can take the time to change things and read the 96 percent of balanced comments on one side or another, but the comments which are immediately in your face are the ones ‘most relevant’ to Facebook making money. The algorithm automatically selects the abusive or offensive posts as ‘most relevant’, as these are the posts which are most likely to generate a reply or response.
Facebook used to be great. It could be great again. The underlying software is great, but the algorithms suck.
