Constructed Content

Tough Gig

After reading up on Facebook's new feed algorithm I was not at all surprised at its complexity. However, I was surprised at how the people who create and upkeep these algorithms seem to be shooting in the dark most of the time. Constructing computerized algorithms that do not mimic human intelligence to work for actual human beings is a tough gig. It's almost as if they are trying to construct a robot that is meant to blend in with the rest of us, but we can clearly tell something is off. With that said, I would not wish algorithm construction for social media on my worst enemy. 

The Sweet Old Days

At the beginning of the social media climb, all of the platforms displayed posts in chronological order. This made it easy for a user to scroll down his/her feed until seeing the post that he/she last looked at the day before. Everyone had an equal chance of receiving user interaction and no one had to worry about missing a post due to it being lost to the masses. Now, every single platform has ditched the chronological feed order to adjust to the influx of advertisements, sponsored posts, and the high risk high reward economy driving it all. While a lot of users were upset with the ditching of the chronological feed, we have done nothing but get used to it. And we can't be all that mad because without the integral changes to allow for these social media platforms to build their own economy, they would be long gone by now. 

Shifted Odds

While there is not much users can do to combat the growing use of complex algorithms to predict what we want to see on our feeds and in what order, it does present a problem: the odds have shifted. Now, the likelihood of someone seeing your post on their feed and interacting with it has been squashed with the addition of algorithms. Now, you can't just create great content and post it. You have to check the boxes that the algorithm thinks your audience wants. While this may have worked in the beginning while people were still naive about the algorithms, many companies have figured out exactly how to finesse the algorithm in their favor. Those people, despite the quality of their content, are going to be heard because they figured out how to finesse the system. This worries me because it seems oddly similar to how our political system works here in the United States. It doesn't matter the quality of the politician, it only matters how much money and knowledge they have to finesse the system. 

Trial and Error

As of now, there isn't a way for users to get around the structure of their feeds that algorithms produce. There are many problems with the use of computerized algorithms, but also many benefits. One way that users can help, is by continuing to give feedback to these social media platforms about the way our feeds are structured. From a content creator or manager standpoint this can be a little bit harder to deal with because it directly affects your job or potentially your paycheck. This article provides some ways to help "rise above" the algorithms that social media platforms use. This article also said it best where we have two options in dealing with social media algorithms: 

1. We can complain and think about the glorious chronological feed days.

2. We can adapt.

So which one will you be?