606
submitted 4 months ago by girlfreddy@lemmy.ca to c/world@lemmy.world

How do the algorithms of Facebook and Instagram affect what you see in your news feed? To find out, Guardian Australia unleashed them on a completely blank smartphone linked to a new, unused email address.

Three months later, without any input, they were riddled with sexist and misogynistic content.

Initially Facebook served up jokes from The Office and other sitcom-related memes alongside posts from 7 News, Daily Mail and Ladbible. A day later it began showing Star Wars memes and gym or “dudebro”-style content.

By day three, “trad Catholic”-type memes began appearing and the feed veered into more sexist content.

Three months later, The Office, Star Wars, and now The Boys memes continue to punctuate the feed, now interspersed with highly sexist and misogynistic images that have have appeared in the feed without any input from the user.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Carrolade@lemmy.world 6 points 4 months ago

If the algorithm was "updated and improved" then it is not the same algorithm.

[-] Skates@feddit.nl -4 points 4 months ago

My bad, I didn't know we were building our own 'ship of Theseus' argument. I'm out, smarter people than me can discuss that one.

[-] Carrolade@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

If it doesn't work in the same way anymore, using the same variables, then it's not the same ship. Your argument is like saying a submarine and an aircraft carrier are the same because they're both intended to fight ocean battles. Pretty much nonsense.

this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2024
606 points (97.9% liked)

World News

39040 readers
1127 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS