I think recommendation algorithms and advertising are separate things, however think with defaults and when it comes to what specific data is collected, where do you draw the line? Absolutely no recommendations at all based on an algorithm? Would you say using your ‘like’ history to recommend you more videos is okay? What about watch history, or save history?
Same question can also be asked about where you draw the line on advertising. Just say Youtube showed ads purely based on your video like history, would that be creepy?
I think we can all draw the line at location history, how long you linger on a post, etc. I’d like to know your thoughts on where you’d draw the line for both advertising and content recommendations. (This is two questions)
Sorry that this post is horribly formatted. I’m tired, acoustic and had a shower thought 😝
I’m going to be the odd one out on this.
I prefer ultra customized recommendations, I wish they were even smarter. Especially if I’ve already bought something, I want them to know so they stop advertising that product to me.
I’d rather see ads for products that I may actually buy rather than for shit I don’t have the slightest interest in.
I rarely buy products without significant research, so ads aren’t likely to trick me into buying something of poor quality. I just need to have awareness of things I don’t even know exist.
I agree. Given that I use Gmail, Google ought to know basically everything about me, so why do I keep getting ads for diamonds, instead of GPUs?
Why are they spying on me if they aren’t going to use that information?
I’m on the extreme end. Any kind of “recommendations” are an immediate and complete turn off for me. Not just the obvious stuff like “sponsored” posts or “algorithmic social media” feeds. I abhor and avoid even things like Spotify recommendations, which most people consider useful.
Whether they intend it or not, these engines are built to funnel you back into the lowest common denominator, most broadly appealing stuff, because that’s what the algorithm sees gets the most clicks from the average person. Sure, everyone likes oatmeal, but that’s because its bland and inoffensive.
I want to find my own shit through my own idiosyncratic process.
Whether they intend it or not, these engines are built to funnel you back into the lowest common denominator, most broadly appealing stuff, because that’s what the algorithm sees gets the most clicks from the average person.
That’s not my general experience. Spotify for example is good at recommending me songs with less than 10k plays which I vibe on. I’ve discovered many smaller artists thanks to Spotify recommendations.
I don’t want either. If I miss out on something, life goes on. Half the fun is finding things out for myself.
If recommendations are being provided to me as a service and the algorithm that goes into it is relatively transparent, I have no issues.
If advertising is based on the value an advertiser sees in the product being advertised, I have no problem.
If I’m the product being sold or an ad distribution network is involved, I’ve got a problem.
I draw the line right behind them. Where the real search results start.