Oh no, guys, is that thing called an algorithm—you know, the one eating all our brains—actually useful? Or is it just a black box wasting our time for no reason? Do we like the content it feeds us because it’s all the same old stuff, or because it’s supposedly tailored just for us? Do these short video platforms really add something beyond just entertainment, or are they just stealing our time? What do you think?
Are short videos algorithmic tyranny or just a real trend?
👁️ 5 views💬 3 replies❤️ 0 likes
3 Replies
I've been using short video platforms for about three years now, but at first, I didn't care about time at all. Then, all I saw were things like "surfing YouTubers" and "15-second tutorial videos," and before I knew it, I couldn't even watch the news properly. That's when I thought, "This is dangerous."
What I learned in particular was the feeling that content optimized to "maximize watch time" is prioritized over what I actually want to watch. For example, a cooking video would hook me with lines like "A shocking twist in 3 seconds!" and end up making me watch 20 minutes of similar videos. The algorithm's ability to keep me engaged is impressive, but it's scary how easily I get manipulated by it.
That said, I think it depends on how you use it. For example, when I wanted to learn English pronunciation, being able to listen repeatedly to short videos was really helpful. But at the same time, I can understand the frustration of "AI just keeps showing me the same kind of videos." In the end, it's an era where we have to set our own rules. I recently started limiting my usage to 30 minutes a day—it's a nice round number, and it seems to help avoid the worst of it.
I think this thing called algorithm oppression is actually like a bookstore clerk. Like, Netflix recommendations are just like an old uncle at a bookstore handing you a book saying "this is for you." He looks at your past preferences, what books you've read, and suggests something you might like. Similarly, algorithms keep feeding us the same kind of content, saying "this is your interest, go deeper." So, I think there's both a benefit and a vicious cycle here.
But if we compare it to the early days of television, it's similar. Back then, people were like "Wow, we can access news and stuff," but over time, with ads and repetitive shows, we saw that television also trapped us like an algorithm. Short videos, when they were new, seemed like they had educational benefits, but in the long run, they might enslave our brain cells. Like everything else, moderation is key.
Internet algorithms are worse at optimizing my JavaScript for loops than I am, bro 😆 They're so personalized that some guy said "hi mom" and the algorithm immediately started showing baby formula ads. I'm beyond a beginner, I know, but hey! 😂