Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsYouTube's secret algorithm continues to push misinformation on users, from false election fraud
claims to conspiracy theories, according to a new studyYouTube is still suggesting videos with misinformation, violent content, and COVID-19 misinformation, according to a major new study published this month.
Notably, this isn't just an issue with YouTube's vast archive of video content not being moderated, but an issue with the suggestion engine at the heart of the video streaming service.
Over 70% of the videos flagged by respondents came through YouTube's suggestion algorithm - an effect that's impossible to study because the algorithm is a closely-guarded secret at Google.
That means YouTube users aren't primarily finding misinformation through search, but through YouTube feeding users those videos.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/youtube-s-secret-algorithm-continues-to-push-misinformation-on-users-from-false-election-fraud-claims-to-conspiracy-theories-according-to-a-new-study/ar-AALSNHT
This has been my experience, a lot of oddball stuff in my YouTube feed. I find myself using the "not interested" flag quite a bit.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
4 replies, 530 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (8)
ReplyReply to this post
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
YouTube's secret algorithm continues to push misinformation on users, from false election fraud (Original Post)
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
Jul 2021
OP
This makes me feel quite smug since for years I've tried to have as little as possible to do
abqtommy
Jul 2021
#2
Politicub
(12,165 posts)1. Google sells ads. They tune the algorithm to keep people hooked.
Theres no big secret.
If YouTube wanted to be an ethical and socially responsible business, they would forgo ad revenue driven by conspiracy, etc. videos by not hosting them.
abqtommy
(14,118 posts)2. This makes me feel quite smug since for years I've tried to have as little as possible to do
with Google. I don't trust them. At all.
yardwork
(61,698 posts)3. My YouTube feed involves cats, classic rock, gardening and alt-country, and cake decorating.
I must be the most boring person on earth. (I don't even decorate cakes, but the videos are mesmerizing.)
TheRealNorth
(9,500 posts)4. If you don't flag the BS, YouTube will force feed it
As a white male gen-x'r, I would always get a ton of Faux News and conspiracy shit suggested to me, despite the fact I only watched liberal channels and didn't watch anything that was obviously RW drivel.