https://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/1g3oeym/recent_algorithm_change_invites_hate_on/
created by broooooooce on 14/10/2024 at 19:28 UTC*
67 upvotes, 12 top-level comments (showing 12)
I hate this algorithm change. It appears to push far more controversial content onto people's home feeds as a means to increase engagement. Controversiality is measured based on the ratio of upvotes to downvotes.
By pushing more controversial posts wide as a means to chase higher engagement, Reddit has inadvertantly increased the likelihood that members of minority populations are made victims to bullying and hatred they otherwise would not have had to suffer. They have made safe spaces less safe.
I mod a mid-size city sub. There was a post that contained some LGBT related content that the new algorithm decided to start pushing to nonsubscriber's home feeds. There were plenty of posts with far more upvotes the algorithm could have chosen.
The resulting influx of homophobia and transphobia--to my normally tolerant sub--was severe enough to warrant roughly 30 bans, which is more than I've ever issued in a *year.* The post required my constant attention for two days.
There were also nearly a dozen instances of report abuse[1] (users reporting things for false reasons to grief and bully the OP). It was reported for being hateful, for being porn, for having sexual content involving minors, for self harm, and more, all of which was just made up bullshit meant to cause harm to the OP who had done nothing more than make a completely benign post. (And has Reddit just stopped taking action with regard to report abuse? It's been over two weeks now, and I've received no response.)
1: https://imgur.com/a/m8J8Z5b
I've been modding the same sub for 13 years. I've spent all of that time cultivating a place that is assuredly safe and tolerant. Now, in addition to a subscriber having had to endure such vitriol, my sub's reputation has been compromised. And, the level of hate? I've never seen anything like it on there. It was disgusting; it was disturbing.
At the expense of *some potential growth to my sub*, I have turned off **Discovery > Get recommended to individual redditors**. It may be working *to prevent threads in my sub from being advertised*, or the post may have just run its course. I don't know :c *[Italicized text in this paragraph edited for clarification.]*
I hate the direction this place is going. Is there anything else I can do to ensure this doesn't happen again? I already had subreddit karma minimums for *posts* and may implement them for comments as well. But more broadly, is this just gonna be how it goes moving forward? Reddit pitting us against one another to increase revenue?
^Edited ^for ^clarity.
Comment by Xytak at 14/10/2024 at 19:52 UTC
46 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Well, I guess that's why I've seen so many low-quality, zero upvote posts recently. I thought the whole idea of Reddit was that downvotes made things LESS visible, not more!
Comment by ContemplatingFolly at 14/10/2024 at 20:11 UTC
7 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I am behind the times here...what do you mean by "pushed out a post" on your sub? The algorithm promoted it on r/all or something like that?
Comment by Graveyard_01 at 16/10/2024 at 16:52 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Oh, I was thinking it was wierd the amount of new communities I was being recommended and thus ignoring. This kind of make sense
Comment by [deleted] at 15/10/2024 at 16:07 UTC*
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by chilli_chocolate at 03/11/2024 at 01:57 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Pretty late to this but I'd like to add the rise in racist comments I've been seeing against people from poor countries and none white people. Especially against Indians.
Comment by BlazeAlt at 14/10/2024 at 21:18 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Advice : have a look at /r/RedditAlternatives
Comment by macacolouco at 14/10/2024 at 22:41 UTC*
2 upvotes, 2 direct replies
My advice is to leave. Unfortunately, Reddit does not exist to protect the interests of minority groups. I only expect this to get worse.
Beehaw[1] was created by LGBT and LGBT-friendly people, I suggest checking it out. It is a not-for-profit organization. Tildes[2] is also not-for-profit and LGBT-friendly.
There are many LGBT users on Tildes, but it's a more "serious" forum with lots of STEM people. Users are expected to be civil, analytical, and, to some extent, unemotional. If you're okay with that, it's a nice place to be. Users of Tildes and Beehaw are predominantly from the progressive left. We could definitely use more highly engaged LGBT people on Tildes.
Comment by [deleted] at 14/10/2024 at 20:12 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[removed]
Comment by broooooooce at 21/11/2024 at 12:33 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Just for my own records:
This was finally actioned by admins on 11/21 at 6:18 AM CDT; the report was made on 10/02. The "verdict" was that the report abuse from the account(s) was a content policy violation. The specific action taken against the abusers wasn't mentioned.
Comment by STJRedstorm at 14/10/2024 at 20:32 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I have to believe this is an actual phenomenon. If it’s true it’s a very sleazy (and dangerous) way to churn up engagement.
Comment by [deleted] at 14/10/2024 at 20:53 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by 06210311200805012006 at 15/10/2024 at 10:08 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This is just reddit anymore. First the maga zealots started brigading everything. Then the blue maga zealots made every sub about anti-trump posts. Now all the remaining echo chambers are being invaded.
Enshittifaction maybe has a second mode.