Please, don’t let algorithms break the web

02/09/2023

I remember when it all started. And I still think that this was the time when the Internet began to break apart. 2009, Facebook introduced its updated newsfeed that prioritizes popular posts.

At first, it was optional, and whenever a user wanted, they could change the settings and see all posts in chronological order. But then it became harder and harder to fix it. Instead, users had to see random posts from random people with lots of advertisements between them.

I don’t want to let some marketing robo-machine decide what content I want to see in my feed right now. I want to be aware of the content I consume.

And I want to be sure of the quality and quantity of such content.

That’s why I stopped using Facebook and Instagram. And that’s why I am still using RSS, newsletters, and Twitter.

After Mr. Musk bought Twitter, the company tried to make the “For You” (aka algorithmic bullshit) timeline the default option, but a few days ago, they pushed it back. And I do hope that someday other companies will do the same thing.