mekka okereke Jul 28, 2023

If we pretend that the only options are:

1) Chronological feed
2) Algorithmic feed where a company chooses the algorithm and objective function

And we pretend that "Share of time is a perfect metric for happiness," then this might make sense.

But... time spent isn't a perfect metric for happiness, and there is another option: 3) Algorithmic feed where the user has more control of the algorithm and objective function.

Eg, chronological *is* an algorithmic feed!🙂🙃

https://www.wired.com/story/meta-just-proved-people-hate-chronological-feeds/

Meta Just Proved People Hate Chronological Feeds

Some social media users and lawmakers say chronological feeds are healthier. A new study found that Facebook and Instagram users who were forced to see time-ranked posts turned to TikTok instead.

WIRED
Show threadTim Richards
@mekkaokereke I like chronological feeds for another reason: fairness. Everyone's posts have an equal chance of being seen.
Jul 28, 2023 at 11:14amWeb
Show threadmekka okereke Jul 28, 2023

@timrichards

Maybe?

But for example, I am an *extremely* high volume poster. And I post threads, and quote my old threads.

A pure chronological feed shows a lot of me, and not enough of a low volume poster.🫤

I post so much in part because my posts are mostly about debunk racist memes, and one of the purposes of racism is to make Black people repeat themselves. Sisyphusian!

Every time I answer a question about racism, it's new and enlightening for some, but repetition for others.

Show threadmekka okereke Jul 28, 2023

@timrichards

That situation is not ideal for me, or for low volume posters, or for people who have followed me for a while.

If I post a thread about car break-ins in SF and you like/boost every single post, and then a few months later someone asks a question about SF crime, and I link to that same thread... maybe you might *manually* mute that new convo. It's not that you hate it! It's just... not new for you!👍🏿

Or I might post about sports. Maybe not your jam. Again, manual temporary muting.

Show threadTim RichardsJul 28, 2023
@mekkaokereke That doesn't bother me really, it's easy to scroll past the talkative folk if needed.
Show threadjmeleskyJul 28, 2023
@timrichards @mekkaokereke I follow a bunch of people outside of my time zone, and enough people that scrolling through all of my history is generally untenable. For my feed, chronological means a bunch of people basically have no chance of being seen, not an equal chance.
Show threadTim RichardsJul 29, 2023
@jmelesky @mekkaokereke C'mon, you only follow 132, that's not hard to scroll through. :) I follow nearly a thousand and I'd still prefer the chronological approach. Also non-chronological ruins live commentary on events.