[iroh2727]

Completely disagree. I think what is great about YouTube are the subset of creators that make genuinely good content, and especially those creators you follow consistently for a long time and really enjoy and get something out of.

The algos are useful if I follow so many creators that I can’t keep up, or occasionally I get some good unexpected content. But my favorite creators were all recommended me by other people, not algos.

Also, the algos just peddle in commoditized interactions like Likes and Watch Time and Subscribes. They can only optimize for meaningful creator-observer relationship so far as that’s measured by Watch Time, Subscribe, etc.

Not to mention some obvious problems how clickbaity the recs are for new/anonymous users or on videos with few views. Or the whole Elsagate incident (which no doubt continues to be a problem).

Overall I still like YT but I don’t think the commoditized algos are helping much. Just let me get recs from friends or search for what I want. Don’t try to get me to doomwatch easy content all day… and especially don’t try to get kids to doomwatch easy content all day.

[robswc]

I can certainly agree there should be a separate algorithm for under 13 year olds. I've seen a fair number of family or friends with toddlers and you check out what they're watching and 9/10 times its literal nonsense. 3D renders of spiderman jumping on a bed or in GTA just running around, lol.

Very odd and you can certainly get some bad content in the mix because they don't know what they're doing.