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Comment by gruez | Hacker News Reader

>FAANG has actively replaced following with algorithmic feeds because they're more profitable.

Alternatively: it's what users want.

https://www.wired.com/story/meta-just-proved-people-hate-chr...

The data supports your thesis, but in the same way a meth addict wants more meth imho. The algorithm is hitting a reward center (TikTok has put on a masterclass in this, for example).

I would be interested to see user preferences with regards to algorithm vs chronological feed when the cohort is on GLP-1 agonist of some sort (which inhibits malfunctioning reward center behavior, including alcohol, tobacco, and opioid addictions).

People want cigarettes and fast food too. It's not good for them either, and legislation and education improved the situation.

Social media is to the 2020s what cigarettes were to the 50s

Agreed. I’m pretty sure future generations will look at our social media habits like we look at this https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7355737/amp/The-chi...

> Social media is to the 2020s what cigarettes were to the 50s

That is an interesting thought. Thanks!

And not a new one: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24579498

Thanks. new to me anyway!

That remains to be seen. Studies purporting to show the harms of social media are shaky at best. It could very well turn out to be more benign like TVs or violent video games (remember the pearl clutching around those in the early 2000s?).

Who are you to decide for people that they cannot smoke and eat McDonald’s

I thoroughly despise the frankly Puritan attitude that society should prevent people from harming themselves

> Alternatively: it's what users want.

So why are they so opposed to adding some toggle in the options to allow chronological feed then?

It’s what users are addicted to. I did that with TikTok first time I installed it. Just swipe swipe watch swipe. Those like 15-30 seconds hits are addictive as hell. I deleted my account after an hour and haven’t touched it since, except the occasional video a friends sends a link to. Their algo is way better than Twitter or Meta algos.

You can market cocaine and sell it then make the same argument. “This is what people want, thats why it makes money” is not an argument in many cases.

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