Twitter decided to implement an algorithm that shows people what it thinks they are interested in.
(Mirror Daily, United States) – No matter if we like it or not, social networks are a big part of our lives. A change in the way we interact with the virtual platforms every day can affect some more than others. It could also cause excitement or rage, depending on the user’s preferences. Many are displeased with Twitter’s new algorithm because they think it’s starting to resemble Facebook way too much.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Facebook, everywhere we look. And the song could go on, but the main idea is that many are displeased with Twitter’s new algorithm. Users have complained about the new feature that activates itself automatically, instead of letting people decide if they want to use it or not.
And while it is true that you can deactivate it from your profile settings, there is that feeling that Twitter is just using Facebook strategies to turn the social media platform into a hashtag version of Zuckerberg’s network.
Up until yesterday when the tweet feed algorithm automatically took over the way in which users were able to browse their tweets, there was a significant difference between the hashtag platform and the reactions one.
On Twitter users decided what they wanted to see, keeping the list of people they followed on check and tweeting and re-tweeting whatever they liked. But the 160 characters birdie decided to interfere with people’s routine tweet check and introduce an algorithm that brought to the attention of the account’s owner the tweets that seemed relevant to him or her.
Many are displeased with Twitter’s new algorithm because it deprives them of a certain freedom of choice. Of course, they can always uncheck the “show me the best tweets first” box and return to their old, routine list. But that’s not the point. The damage is already done.
It’s not only about the fact that the social media platform decided to go Facebook, but it’s also about the fact that people decided to go on Twitter and stay there because it was something bigger and, sometimes, better.
There are no reactions; there was no computer telling you what you would like to see or re-tweet. There was only the user and a bunch of accounts that he or she decided to follow. But now the algorithm is starting to crawl up people’s personal space; it’s beginning to look a lot like Facebook or Instagram.
But that doesn’t mean that an algorithm is the worst idea ever implemented. Netflix and Spotify offer suggestions, sometimes even very good ones. But Spotify has a suggestions button that can be turned on whenever the user decides to do so; it isn’t activated by default.
Many are displeased with Twitter’s new algorithm, and maybe that’s a lesson on not to presume that whatever works on Facebook will work on another social network.
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