Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social™.
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@pmb00cs @lisamelton It's a bit pedantic but I wanted to make the same point. I know people are afraid of slippery slopes but algorithms aren't inherently evil. Presumably the current algorithm also ranks posts that were reported a number of times lower than others? If not, I'd say that would be quite a sensible use of the technology.
@TimothyRoes @lisamelton I would like to point out that when I joined Facebook that was the default feed algorithm, when I joined Twitter that was the default feed algorithm. Now them changing that default wasn't why I left those platforms, but it certainly didn't help.
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hi david, thanks.
I think my misunderstanding stemmed from the fact that, i'm following a popular hashtag with numerous low quality posts. All of which are appearing on my feed. I'm also getting same entity posts
I realise there's a beauty behind a manually selected feed. Many Social Networks will use a hybrid model of a personalised selection and algorithmic filtering.
Noone wants #mastodon to become another Facebook. Let's respect (and learn from) our foe?
I think my misunderstanding stemmed from the fact that, i'm following a popular hashtag with numerous low quality posts.
One of the things I don't like about Mastodon is that following is completely binary. You either see everything or nothing. I'd like to be able to say something like 'show me the posts in this hash tag with more than N favourites' or 'show me a random selection of 10% of what this person posts, weighted by boost + favourite count'.
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@ahltorp @FallsMom @lisamelton Why not just stop following overly prolific people?
@JankaWessman @FallsMom @lisamelton Because you like what they write? Or you like some of it? Or specifically don’t like or don’t care about some of it? Or it might not be one prolific person, but the combined effect of many.
A lot of people here use filters and other selective mutes. Can’t we help people do that, or do we as a collective think that’s only for ”advanced users”?
Maybe there is no good way of doing this, but other than the effort, what is lost by trying?
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@AFoucart @lisamelton there's also the "Notify me when USER posts" button which is useful to keep track of low volume users posts.
@jmcs @lisamelton yes, but "more notifications" is not really something I want on my phone
I'd rather choose when I check for updates! -
@TimothyRoes @lisamelton I would like to point out that when I joined Facebook that was the default feed algorithm, when I joined Twitter that was the default feed algorithm. Now them changing that default wasn't why I left those platforms, but it certainly didn't help.
@pmb00cs @lisamelton Agreed, but I think the best guarantee is that this platform is not driven by profit and is built on an open protocol so people who don't like where things are going can vote with their feet. All that said Lisa's main point was that we should promote toots by boosting and reacting to them and that I totally agree with
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton I think that should be explained at the beginning of the adventure with Mastodon, because now it makes sense what's the purpose of boosting. The users being "the algorithm" makes a ton of sense, but coming from corporate SM I didn't know that model so I didn't boost anything.
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton
really? Bringing machine algorithm to mastodon? I think it's outright impossible, and my words are the same as yours! -
Yes! And how did I see this post? A boost from a friend (yay!), not from an algorithm !
@FallsMom @lisamelton i saw this post on trending tab. So it's technically an algorithm?

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@lisamelton you're right!
It's not true that "the Fediverse has no algorithm"
The algorithm is just easy to miss because it's implemented not through machines but through ourselves and other people
@badrihippo@fosstodon.org @lisamelton@mastodon.social
Exactly. The people you follow and the people you share an instance with are your algorithm. Which is why it's so important for your over-all experience to choose your instance wisely. Small to medium sized instances that cater to people with a significant overlap with your own interests are generally best. -
Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton Isn't that what bsky is for? 🤨
(rhetorical)
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton@mastodon.social
Sounds like that person hasn't realized an important fact of the Fediverse yet: the importance of choosing The Right Instance. Ideally, you should be on an instance that isn't overwhelmingly active, catering to people who you have some overlap of shared interest with.
Huuuuuge instances like mastodon.social almost never fit that bill. They're so overwhelming that the local and global feeds are overwhelming and will have hardly any overlap with your interests. Find the right instance for you, and half the "algorithm" work is done! Luckily, the Fediverse allows for moving your account between different instances - even between different social networks. -
Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton согласен с Вами!
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton That’s where all the magic is — you choose your own feed and the people you want to follow, without a forced algorithm. And it really feels like a more “alive” internet, where there’s a real community, not just an endless feed of whatever gets pushed to you
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton I do wonder, why are these techbros even on here if they don’t like it and want to enshittify it that much? I want to curate stuff, see stuff curated by other humans, and I don’t need a machine to ragebait me into screen time that’s off the charts!!
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hi david, thanks.
I think my misunderstanding stemmed from the fact that, i'm following a popular hashtag with numerous low quality posts. All of which are appearing on my feed. I'm also getting same entity posts
I realise there's a beauty behind a manually selected feed. Many Social Networks will use a hybrid model of a personalised selection and algorithmic filtering.
Noone wants #mastodon to become another Facebook. Let's respect (and learn from) our foe?
@DazRunner @david_chisnall @lisamelton I am a farmer,who is training young people about in school and communities about food production and sustainability,and we would like to connect with you for the sharing of knowledge and ideas on how we can practise in the best way.
Do you agree? -
Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton How words are born - cue the algorithm to popularize the term techbrojackhole. Should be trending soon given current state....well done!! I'll be using this daily if not hourly!
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@lisamelton i'll play devil's advocate on this one. I'm a #mastodon noob. So maybe i'm doing something wrong.
My feed features numerous low-effort posts with no community engagement. One after the other. Is there room for improvement in the algorithm?
I feel that labelling users who voluntarily provide feedback - as 'jackholes', is unnecessary. ( with all due respect
)My 2 cents.
@DazRunner @lisamelton Just to chime in: the way I've been using Mastodon is by using hashtags. I set them up like I described here: https://bammerlaan.nl/posts/Using-hashtags-Mastodon
Then I just follow a lot of people, semi-indiscriminately, and now I have curated lists of different topics. May be of use to you?
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton Well then the algorithm needs to get off its collective ass and actually start boosting things. This is independent of all techbros and ai data centers needing to be launched into the sun asap
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton Yes, and folks on BlueSky will see a post like yours and cry “look how hostile Mastodon is! It’s such an echo chamber!” While they screenshot it, quote it, post it around with snarky comments.
They would rather complain about every enshittification move BlueSky makes but do nothing about it, while crying foul that folks on Mastodon are choosing who and what they see in their own feed.
I like it here just fine, less clout chasers, more cats
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Recently I read a post by some jackhole techbro who wants a default automatic feed algorithm here just like Big Social
.Opening the door for AI bullshit is not even the worst part of this idea.
Folks, all of us here ARE the algorithm. Personal curation is a feature, not a bug.
We make Mastodon awesome by following people and boosting what we find meaningful, significant or just cool. That's how it works.
Let's keep making friends. Let's keep sharing. Let's keep Mastodon alive. Together.

@lisamelton yeah! keep the scumbags over at x