Originally published in The Washington Post, Oct 26, 2021.
Facebook engineers gave extra value to emoji reactions, including ‘angry,’ pushing more emotional and provocative content into users’ news feeds.
Five years ago, Facebook gave its users five new ways to react to a post in their news feed beyond the iconic “like” thumbs-up: “love,” “haha,” “wow,” “sad” and “angry.”
Behind the scenes, Facebook programmed the algorithm that decides what people see in their news feeds to use the reaction emoji as signals to push more emotional and provocative content — including content likely to make them angry. Starting in 2017, Facebook’s ranking algorithm treated emoji reactions as five times more valuable than “likes,” internal documents reveal. The theory was simple: Posts that prompted lots of reaction emoji tended to keep users more engaged, and keeping users engaged was the key to Facebook’s business.
Facebook’s own researchers were quick to suspect a critical flaw. Favoring “controversial” posts — including those that make users angry — could open “the door to more spam/abuse/clickbait inadvertently,” a staffer, whose name was redacted, wrote in one of the internal documents. A colleague responded, “It’s possible.”
The warning proved prescient. The company’s data scientists confirmed in 2019 that posts that sparked angry reaction emoji were disproportionately likely to include misinformation, toxicity and low-quality news.
To continue reading this article, click here.
Interesting articles keep posting more! buildnow gg
This article sheds light on Facebook’s algorithmic decisions and their impact on user engagement by favoring certain emoji reactions over others. mapquest
I am incredibly grateful and would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for providing such valuable information. I am optimistic that your future endeavors will continue to excite and amaze me.
driving directions
I’d like people to know how good the information in your text is @shell shockers online
I’m absolutely enamored with Sprunked ! The platform encourages creativity and experimentation. The eclectic sound library is impressive, and the interface is smooth. The community feedback has been valuable. It’s a fantastic way to dive into music-making.
Try the new nyt zorse game, an exciting word game inspired by the New York Times. In this game, you start with a clue and see a series of blank tiles. As you reveal letters, they spell out a phrase related to the hint.
This historical castle offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountains. It’s a great spot for photography and to learn about the region’s history.
A beautiful valley perfect for outdoor activities like rafting, hiking, and exploring the lush landscapes. The area is also home to traditional wooden bridges.
Grateful for the clarity and thoughtfulness in this article. It’s a valuable read! SSM Smart Square