2026-10-15
Ideas that spread are the ones that are good at spreading, not the ones that would be beneficial for humanity if they spread.
Rage + Controversy spreads pretty well.
"If it bleeds, it leads."
Ideas spread faster today thanks to the internet and social media.
Are we doomed to be victims of our own human nature?
There is always an algorithm
The default one promotes rage, controversy and misinformation.
We don’t have to stick with the default.
We have agency to tweak our recommender systems and default algorithms. In this way, we might be able to create a new narrative that promotes more positive and constructive content, rather than just rehashing the same angry and divisive ideologies.
I find some comfort in the potential for technological solutions. Things such as:
- RSS feed readers: Discover and follow content that you find valuable and informative, rather than just the most popular or sensational content.
- Digital Wellness Tools (like Freedom, SelfControl, or Moment): Track and manage your online time, promoting more mindful browsing habits and reducing exposure to sensational content.
- Content Curation Platforms (like Flipboard, Pocket, or Instapaper): Save and organize content you find valuable, creating a more personalized and curated reading experience.
- Content Summarizers: AI-powered tools can help readers quickly grasp the essence of news articles, opinion pieces, or other long-form content, reducing the need to wade through sensational or misleading headlines.
Adjust the way you engage (maybe even disengage?)
You can influence the algorithm
- Prioritize valuable content: Show that you're interested in high-quality content.
- Reduce low-quality content: Downvote or hide low-quality or spammy posts.
- Foster engagement: Encourage others to engage with content and create a more social and interactive environment.
- Improve content discovery: Help the algorithm learn what types of content you're interested in, and show you more relevant and interesting posts.
Ways to influence algorithms
- Like and Engage: Like, comment, or share posts that you find valuable or informative. This tells the algorithm that you're interested in similar content.
- Unlike and Unfollow: If you see a post that you don't think is valuable or informative, unlike or unfollow it. This tells the algorithm that you don't want to see similar content.
- Hide Posts: Hide posts that are low-quality, spammy, or irrelevant. This helps the algorithm filter out unwanted content.
- Mark Posts as Spam: Report posts that are fake news, harassment, or other types of abuse.
- Watch Time: Watch a video for a certain amount of time, even if you don't finish it. This indicates that you find the content engaging.
References