Instagram’s chief executive has said users will have a worse experience in an algorithm-free world, seeing more brand-related content, and spend less time on the app.
The comments come as the Australian government plans to give users the option to opt out of algorithms, with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, announcing plans on Tuesday to require social media platforms to prompt users to choose between a feed of algorithm-recommended content or a reverse chronological feed of the pages users follow.
So the Big Solution is that Instagram must offer the same feed choices as Twitter. This will obviously make a big, big, difference.
It’s rationing.
I stopped using Twatter when Musk stopped showing posts chronologically but rather by their ‘top’ rating.
I haven’t been back to check if they have fixed that yet. Lost interest in it.
Rarely use IG now either, come to think of it.
Never used either. Nor Fascbook.
Bring back Lotus 1-2-3 and Wordperfect. And Pet Commodores. And PDP-8s. And Atlas Autocode. etc etc
Shame on you. Wordstar please 🙂
And VisiCalc!
I’ll trump you all. Bring back analogue computers. Twiddle those pots!
Before my time, I started with CP/M…
Earlier – Wind that handle!
Ting!
PDP-8s! 12-bit rules, OK!
Anyone a fan of the Ferranti Argus 200? That was my introduction to computing. Didn’t run into the brand again until the Met Office bought a batch of the 700 series for their radiosonde systems in the eighties. Paper tape input, of course.
Arg the Argus! They were the other half of Ferranti computers back in the day; I were dahn sahf in Bracknell with the 1600 series- 24 bit, for HM Navy etc….. ah, the mighty FM1600E!!
Pops had a Navy mate who worked on that sort of thing for Polaris. Ended up running computing for Lloyds. Went to see him and was shown that there were 7 levels of redundancy on the Lloyds kit. “But, but, we only use 3 on Polaris” “Well, yes Mike, but you see we’re dealing with money here, this is *important*”.
As with many Pop tales that might have got polished over the years……
You can choose to see posts chronologically or by rating. Takes two taps.
And that’s for only the people you choose to follow, alternatively you can let the algorithms do the selection.
i find it a very useful tool, but then I only stick to those I follow and find that since Musk it respects my choice. Before Musk it kept switching to the algorithm driven “for you” and was a real pain. The opposite of what the Musk detractors claim.
But not ( it wasn’t anyway ) for browsing and reading some random guy’s posts.
@Otto
It is a must-use unfortunately – otherwise you are relying on the mainstream media to curate all your info, pretty much. (Not strictly true, this isn’t the MSM for instance, but at scale.)
I long ago ceased to believe anything from anyone.
Which is a sad indictment on our modern age.
I have ceased to believe most of it but not yet all. I believe you, for instance.
I’m not in either. They are like trying to shout your opinion in Wembley Stadium during a match while listening to catch anything sensible shouted by others.
Here, on the other hand, is like a comfy leather-cushioned gentlemen’s* club with a few cronies and everybody heard.
There is the occasional yahoo but gentlemen know how to deal with them.
As for the other media, if I occasionally follow a link to IG or Faeces, they won’t let me look unless I use the app and have an account. Xitter is a bit more forgiving. You would think the would welcome passing trade as it might get hooked, but they see it as free riding.
‘a reverse chronological feed ‘ is also an a algorithm …. it’s about choice and transparency and personalisation of the algorithms. FFS I realise it’s the grauniad but this kind of ignorance in basic digital tech policy is appalling.
But not surprising, if you’ve read their page.
It’s not even digital tech, algorithms are just basic “do this step then this step”. Tying your shoelaces uses a ****ing algorithm.
Michael Oakeshott made the point when writing on Hayek that “a plan to abstain from all planning is itself a plan”.
It’s all a distraction from Albanese being a clueless dickhead. I mean, the EU at least has some clout on the world stage, but Australia is going to fine the likes of Meta and X for not having an extra prompt? How the the hell is that going to work?
Oh, that’s right, he’s trying to control “misinformation” again, as in anything he doesn’t like.
Albanese and the ALP would probably like to see all social media platforms geoblocked from Australia.
It’s interesting how the meaning of words mutates over time… For example ‘misinformation’ has now come to mean ‘truth’ (or, I suppose, ‘politically-unacceptable truth’).
I like the algorithm because it shows me attractive young women with nice arses, which is the only reason I can see to use Instagram.
Then you’ve almost certainly seen my sister. (I was going to write “come across my sister” but then Finbarr Saunders had a word in my ear.)
Visual evidence, please.
=
Oy oy…
Shame about the tats….
So Instagram is an Australian product and the government can order them how to operate?
Who the hell does Albanese think he is? He invites a tariff war. Trump has told the world they are not going to dictate requirements on American products. Should Albanese persist, the most likely outcome is Australians will just have to get by with no Instagram at all, PLUS Trump’s wrath.
Seriously tone deaf.
Australians will just have to get by with no Instagram at all
And be so much better for it.
My point exactly Gamecock. It’s laughable. Unfortunately these are adults in charge.
The Youtube algorithm keeps showing me the same half-dozen videos over and over. Sure, it might be a different half dozen every day but its still the same half dozen each day. And it pushes ‘brand content’.
Half of them I’ve already seen – months ago.
Algorythms are of little use.
Finally, if the user-experience is really that inferior, would those that ‘opt out’ then choose to ‘opt back in’?
As Tim has pointed out – you don’t need to ban something people don’t want. You ban the things they do want that you don’t think they should have.