Re:Feeds Considered Harmful
by rektide on Friday February 12, 2021 @07:30PM
(#26120309)
The problem with feeds is that feeds are not feeds. If instead of feeds we had feeds, users could apply their own algorithmic agents to help them navigate the feeds they subscribe to.
It's an aggregation/vertical control problem. Because big communicative-capitalism commands the means of content creation, content discovery, & content browsing, all mixed together under the vague meaningless "feed" idea, we cant begin to imagine alternatives. If we separate out the content feed from the consuming agent, decouple these systems, we can start to think of different, more pro-user, healthier ways we might approach the feeds we subscribe to. Having everything totalized under one monopoly prevents innovation & exploration of the problem space.
It's important to have the ideas separated out: different channels of information are available to us (a "feed" in the classical/accurate sense). The different approaches to going through the subscribed channels ("feeds" in aggregated/consumed/this-article's sense) is where opportunity lies to find a healthy relationship between ignorance & harmful information-addiction. Currently we have no say in that relationship, other than withdrawl.
It's an aggregation/vertical control problem. Because big communicative-capitalism commands the means of content creation, content discovery, & content browsing, all mixed together under the vague meaningless "feed" idea, we cant begin to imagine alternatives. If we separate out the content feed from the consuming agent, decouple these systems, we can start to think of different, more pro-user, healthier ways we might approach the feeds we subscribe to. Having everything totalized under one monopoly prevents innovation & exploration of the problem space.
It's important to have the ideas separated out: different channels of information are available to us (a "feed" in the classical/accurate sense). The different approaches to going through the subscribed channels ("feeds" in aggregated/consumed/this-article's sense) is where opportunity lies to find a healthy relationship between ignorance & harmful information-addiction. Currently we have no say in that relationship, other than withdrawl.