Oddbean new post about | logout
 People are mistaking reduced interactions for less views. Most of twitter's business model was to allow a freeforall for bots, and this artificially increased engagement. Bots have known for many years how to piss you off by making bad arguments about your thoughts. It doesent take much to get people riled up and reacting to what they think is another person that needs to be corrected. It had the positice effect of getting people to defend their ideas, it also gives the perception of "activity", makes discussions more interestinf and feeds the gossip machine in all of us. But lets get real, why would someone with differing views actually spend their time stirring up a bees nest on the other side? That would mean they enjoy reading opposing opinions and yet also enjoy disrespecting people they like to read. Its a bizarre personality profile, and I have a hard time believing people do this for entertainment. This is why I am lead to the conclusion its literal bots doing most of it, and paid trolls doing the rest., What we see in chat gpt today is only a very advanced example of what has been trade secret in the intelligence apparatus for a very long time.
Back to twits complaining about "the algorithm" causing reduced engagement; Its more likely the unintended effect of forcing KYC &/pay to post.