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aristarchus [soylentnews.org] writes:

So it turns out, that the YouTube may have been fostering Fascism. But now they have fixed that, slightly, so recs for alt-right idiocy are down. How delightful!

Article is at CNet [cnet.com], for some reason.

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 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).

All hyperlinks ignored to protect the innocent. And those who think Joe Rogan is mainstream. I come from a planet of outlaws, Billy the Kid, Bonnie and Clyde, John Stamos. And, "I am not saying it was aliens, but, it was aliens", guy. But, oh shit, if the alt-right and ISIS cannot recruit on YouTube, where can they? Coming soon, Gab for Jihadis. "We're going in!"

Original Submission