• · Are we being reprogrammed by algorithms? In the last edition, I mentioned a recent tweet-er-xeet post by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Jack suggested that we should all be able to choose the algorithm that controls our timelines across social media products. But the underlying premise is more interesting: As social algorithms get far more effectiv

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 I can imagine all sorts of fun experiments people could do here. For example, could you create an algorithm that downranks tweets that seem like shallow outrage, while promoting tweets that seem nuanced and thoughtful? What would an algorithm look like that is maximally aggressive in filtering out spam and bots? How about one that attempts to... See more

The introduction of the “feed” in modern social media has been controversial. At its core, “algorithmic curation is ultimately about power — about who controls what we see and how we see it.” As our lawmakers now discuss this question on Capitol Hill, most of the discussion is centered around how we can “fix” the feed. However, our political and te... See more