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from the nielson-smielson-ratings-mean-nothing-except-to-a-reality-tv-show-president dept.
YouTube Recommendations for 'Alt-Right' Videos have Dropped Dramatically, Study Shows:
Google has made "major changes" to its recommendations system on YouTube that have reduced the amount of "alt-right" videos recommended to users, according to a study led by Nicolas Suzor, an associate professor at Queensland University of Technology.
During the first two weeks of February, alt-right videos appeared in YouTube's "Up Next" recommendations sidebar 7.8 percent of the time (roughly one in 13). From Feb. 15 onward, that number dropped to 0.4 percent (roughly one in 250).
Suzor's study took random samples of 3.6 million videos, and used 81 channels listed on a recent study by Rebecca Lewis [.pdf] as a starting point. That list includes voices like Richard Spencer, an American white supremacist, but also includes more mainstream voices like Joe Rogan, who does not self-identify as alt-right but often plays host to more extremist voices on his podcast (including alt-right figures such as Alex Jones).
The drop appears significant, but it's difficult to figure precisely how that drop occurred. We don't know if YouTube is targeting 'alt-right' videos specifically or if the drop off is part of broader changes to YouTube's recommendation system.
(Score: 2) by https on Friday March 15 2019, @07:42PM (1 child)
The problem with this nonsensical theory is that it's not an association, but a direct connection. The "alt-right" correctly realized that correctly calling themselves Neo-Nazi (from hence much of their ideology) would have a negative marketing effect.
Back in the 90s, Umberto Eco published an essay outlining fourteen essential components of fascism [nybooks.com]. (fair warning: 5,000+ words) Any one of them is dangerous as public policy, and combining two or three of them spells trouble for anyone who isn't an identifiable member of the group pushing the bullshit. At the same time, the smorgasbord of combinations possible allows for a dozen different fascist groups to each suggest to the unwary, "we can't be fascist, we're nothing like group B over there!" and a hundred groups to each spuriously claim "we are not exactly like them, we're different! Different is better!" But it's still fascism and still bullshit and still people dead for no reason but existing while not an identifiable member of the in-group.
Hey Buzzard, does that make me the evil regular user?
Offended and laughing about it.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 15 2019, @08:42PM
Nazi policy is to control industry via the government, ban guns, support abortion... does that really sound like the right?
You're just mixing things up, probably on purpose. Surprise me: admit you were wrong.