I'm not entirely convinced this is accurate. It definitely is in part, but not in whole. We wanted these better search tools and we like recommendation systems. But I know a lot of people are frustrated with algorithms like YouTube's recommendation system trapping them. (e.g. watch one Joe Rogan video and you get firehosed with more JRE videos). The thing is we also don't notice that this reinforcement also pushes us away from one another. But the solution sounds very similar to the solution to the complaint. People are complaining about being walled in by the algorithm (I for one am one of those people). People are asking for new suggestions. As in new topics, not just other youtubers doing the same thing. I think the difference is that it has become so obvious now that we're noticing and saying "wait, that'd too far."
What is the alternative? Our brains simply cannot cope with an endless sea of fresh faces, each of them requiring an acuqaintance effort, only to disappear in the mass of unfamiliar faces within minutes. The known-host / fresh-guest model lessens the burden, as the host becomes a known quantity after a while. With their temperament, leanings, quirks, idiosyncrasies and all that. Conversely, I've observed myself following a certain guest through a string of hosts, which ended up working well as a host discovery mechanism, better than browsing through random youtube recommendations. Note to self: patent this.
Ivr seen what YouTube recommends for my partner and I definitely don't want that in my feed. I'm not sure that what YT is doing now is the best, but it's better than nothing. At least I get recommendations for topics in intery in, not just whatever the latest insta trend is
ive started to use freetube on desktop and newpipe on mobile. they are not great for discovery at all but at least I can watch the odd [insert-channel-i-dont-really-like-here] video every once in a blue moon without then being harassed for weeks/months/years after to watch more from the same channel
I've always opened youtube in a new private window to do that, especially for sports that I'm interested in but I don't want to get spoilers for later.
I think it works because I don't see those topics in my feeds.
Things like my twitter feed are curated though and I selected the people who curate my stuff. So if it was some kind of echo chamber, i totally willingly chose to do that.
But does Youtube's recommendation system trap you any more than old media? I remember having much the same feeling with library books. I've read 10 pages of this author's thoughts and I really want to pick up something else - but I don't have time to go to the library this week, so I guess I'm stuck reading the other 290 pages.
> I don't have time to go to the library this week ...
That's a very different situation though.
This is as if you went to the library and the librarian only showed you other books by that author and the books that might be (poorly) related to the one you just read.
Like books with similar words in the title or books that people grabbed after that one.
YouTube is pure trash for discovery 90% of the time because the algorithm is tuned for addiction : you are fed content that is designed to keep you hooked and it will always, always bias towards that because that's the business decision.
I'd love to see a recommendation engine that intentionally surfaced "similar but different in key ways"
I'm not entirely convinced this is accurate. It definitely is in part, but not in whole. We wanted these better search tools and we like recommendation systems. But I know a lot of people are frustrated with algorithms like YouTube's recommendation system trapping them. (e.g. watch one Joe Rogan video and you get firehosed with more JRE videos). The thing is we also don't notice that this reinforcement also pushes us away from one another. But the solution sounds very similar to the solution to the complaint. People are complaining about being walled in by the algorithm (I for one am one of those people). People are asking for new suggestions. As in new topics, not just other youtubers doing the same thing. I think the difference is that it has become so obvious now that we're noticing and saying "wait, that'd too far."