this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2025
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I'm no expert, but I feel like anywhere they use an algorithm to drive up "engagement" it leads into people being fed rage-bait and then them acting accordingly. This "attention economy" needs to end somehow.
Put a hard ban on any form of personalized and unsolicited advertising in public space, and define SoMe as public space.
It still doesn't remove trolls and rage bait, but it lowers monetary incentive to keep users on the platform.
The problem with regulation is that most of these data giants are US companies, and due to regulatory capture since the 1980s you can't expect much to change there.
No, you're exactly right.
We've known for quite some time that engagement maximizing algorithms eventually learn that hatred, outrage and anger are the path to maximum engagement.
Unfortunately, the owners of the tech companies have made the decision that they would rather the entire world tear itself apart in a mass of anger and hatred than to earn 6% less next quarter.
Glad to hear I'm not alone with these thoughts!
I propose, as a counter movement, automatic engagement; Instead of "liking" or "upvoting", leave a comment every time you see something you support. And try to abstain from commenting on ragebait or otherwise intentional attention seeking. If enough people start doing this, the algorithm should start adapting to prefering more substantial or positive material, right? I know it sounds naive, but worth a shot!
You'd be fighting against the combined 'mass' of everyone else. We're hard wired to pay attention to things that scare us, so the algorithms just scare us and make us angry and disgusted (which are probably the 2nd and 3rd most primate things to pay attention to).
Until Zuck decides he is tired of poisoning the discourse of the entire planet for ad revenue, we're stuck with it.