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from the read-three-more-stories-to-earn-a-virtual-taco!-(redeem-via-IRC) dept.
How 'Gamification' of Everything Is Manipulating You (and How to Recognize It):
“Gamification” is the practice of adding game-like elements to non-game contexts. It isn’t new, nor it is always a negative, but it is being aimed at consumers and employees more and more frequently, whether to keep you addicted to an app, motivated at work, or inclined to spend your money on something.
[...] There’s nothing necessarily wrong with making consuming a product or doing a job “fun,” but when marketers and employers are hacking our pleasure centers in ways we don’t fully recognize, that’s manipulation, and that’s not really a game. Below are some of the tricks of the gamification trade, so you can spot it before it happens to you.
Behaviorists’ studies of rats and humans prove that both species are more motivated by intermittent, unpredictable rewards than anticipated ones. Rats will pull the lever more often if they sometimes get a food pellet than if they always get a food pellet, and gamblers would never play a slot machine that returned 89 cents every time they put in a dollar, even though that’s what will happen over time.
Some of the tricks are: Variable rewards and suspense, Manipulating our desire for progress, and Engagement and “streaks”.
(Score: 5, Informative) by janrinok on Friday January 21 2022, @12:58PM (9 children)
I have no idea what IP address you are using so I cannot answer your question. I have a hash which tells me nothing about you. We have no idea whether you are using a phone, tablet, laptop, desktop or 2 tin cans joined by string. We simply don't care. We don't want to know who you are or where you live. We are not collecting data for anyone else. We just want to keep the site functioning and the stories coming.
You are free to submit stories just like anyone else. If we don't think that they should be on the front page you are always free to put them in your journal. You can publish whatever you like providing it is legal. You can still get karma for comments in a journal. You are not being silenced, censored, or having your right to express your opinions on this site - but they are subject to the same rules as everyone else and therefore can be moderated as others see fit. Nobody is entitled to control discussions by the use of fake accounts or sock puppets.
Don't just change your IP address - CHANGE YOUR VPN. I can only tell you this so many times before I will assume that you are simply being obstructive. If you are still using the one you had problems with a few weeks ago then ditch them. The entire site is used mainly by Russian criminals and many of their IP addresses are on the banned list.
Now if you want to give me your IP address I could look up why you are having problems. Or better still you can just look up the information yourself but then, of course, you could not play the victim.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday January 21 2022, @02:33PM
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 21 2022, @08:48PM (6 children)
Are you saying that aristarchus is being punished because of admin's unsubstantiated accusations of using sockpuppets? Have admin encouraged down-modding based on these rumors? So aristarchus is being blackballed, and censored, and dare we say it, "cancelled"??
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday January 21 2022, @09:28PM
The users associated with the sock puppets that were disabled were all sent messages explaining why they were being banned. They were invited to contact us for further information. None of them chose to do so. Probably because they don't exist.....
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday January 21 2022, @09:41PM (4 children)
Aristarchus is not being restricted in any way other than a temporary moderation ban. He has had submissions accepted and included on the Main Page - but he still complained even about that!
He should look at what he has submitted and what was accepted and then do more of the same. How can he be "being blackballed, and censored, and dare we say it, "cancelled"??" if we have published one of his stories within the last couple of days? Furthermore, he can publish whatever he wishes in his journal. Do pay attention, AC, if you wish to play.
However, for you AC this off-topic conversation here is closed. You can continue it by emailing us at the usual address.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 21 2022, @11:33PM (3 children)
Hmm, almost nothing of what janrinok says is true? Ari can't post. He is banned. Go ahead, ask me how I know this.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 22 2022, @05:57AM (2 children)
OK. How do you know this?
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Sunday January 23 2022, @08:46AM
Well, what a surprise. A day later and no response from the AC who wanted us to challenge him.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by aristarchus on Tuesday January 25 2022, @11:32AM
Because I AM aristarchus, and my wife is, too! Janrinok is a bit slow on the uptake. Check in next week.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 26 2022, @02:02PM
.... now I have to work out if I can somehow use two cans and string to interface with SN ....
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