The feature will make the platform a better place – or more of an echo chamber, skeptics say
Twitter’s upcoming reply downvote feature, which was first announced last July, has been pushed up to the global testing phase, the company announced. Unlike a similar system on Reddit, the feedback is not public and is meant to help the platform’s algorithm obfuscate replies to tweets that readers deem unwanted for some reason.
The company said it was happy with how the pilot has gone so far. Users enrolled in the experiment downvoted replies that they perceived as offensive, not relevant, or both. In most cases, they flagged the content that they didn’t want to see, Twitter said.
“People who have tested downvoting agree it improves the quality of conversations on Twitter. We’re excited to see how others think of it as it becomes available to more of you,” the platform added.
New source of data for twitter’s algorithm just dropped. pic.twitter.com/oonwUAxewV
— Jathan Sadowski (@jathansadowski) February 2, 2022
When it is finally rolled out for all users, the downvote flags will affect the order in which replies are displayed under a tweet, but Twitter did not explain in detail how the system would work.
Considering Twitter’s status as the place where the US political elites discuss things they find important, some people are pessimistic about how downvotes would affect public discourse. NSA whistleblower and privacy advocate Edward Snowden called it “an exciting new feature that lets you help the algorithm make this place an even bigger echo chamber than it already is.”
Reddit seems to be the only major public speech site that currently has a way to downvote posts and replies, a feature that Twitter found inspiration in. Facebook considered introducing a dislike button a few years ago, but opted for multiple reaction emojis instead.
YouTube notably got rid of its dislike video button last year, citing a need to protect content creators from hate mobs. Critics said at the time the Google-owned platform was probably more interested in protecting establishment players like big studios and legacy media outlets, and YouTube itself, from the embarrassment of receiving negative public feedback. People unhappy with the change have been using apps that recreate the removed feature.
source: RT
Împotriva articolelor redacției noastre, persoanele nemulțumite pot formula Contestație în termen de 10 zile de la publicarea articolului, la judecătoria Orășenească nr. 1 München Bayern Deutschland, in conformitate cu Legea federală Germană. Considerăm că nu se pot formula acțiuni la instanțele din România deoarece nici o persoană care activează în trustul nostru nu poate fi extrasă de sub jurisdicția federală germană. Considerăm că redacția noastră nu răspunde în fața autorităților din România ci doar celor federale sau civile germane. deoarece legea română nu are efecte de extraneitate asupra redacției chiar dacă subiectul știrilor face obiectul unor evenimente sau persoane din România și sunt scrise în limba română. Limba română nu este izvor de extraneitate a legii.
