Yes, I've been yearning for platforms really to just let me control the database query, basically. I want to be able to create custom filters/sorts/queries, or even choose some from an algorithm store, that lets me control how I view things.
For example, on Twitter, I love having the "latest tweets" option. But maybe I want to also have "only tweets from verified people with over 100 retweets from other verified people." This is somewhat possible on Tweetdeck, but not possible directly within Twitter itself.
It reminds me of the Facebook Graph Search, which I loved—"my friends of friends who speak Spanish who live in San Francisco." But FB shut that down a few years ago.
Makes me wonder what are the main reasons they don't implement such options to help us better choose how we see the data—is it technically difficult to implement? Does it run counter to the business model of placed advertisements? Does it really just unleash too much power in the hands of the users and make these companies afraid what might happen?
I'd love if they did implement the changes you suggest and I wonder why they haven't.
> Does it really just unleash too much power in the hands of the users and make these companies afraid what might happen?
Social media companies spend incredible resources trying to continuously improve the stickiness of the app so users keep coming back to it. Giving users total control over curation creates two big problems for this.
1) if I can cut out all of the BS in the feed, I can utilize the app more passively which likely reduces overall usage. I would try to get my social media into a weekly feed, which is not compatible with the business social media companies are trying to run. It's all about DAU's.
2) total curation makes researching and optimizing the UX for eyeballs more difficult because you introduce an entirely new set of variables into the equation. This increases the likelihood that behavioral research draws erroneous conclusions based on the patterns being observed. By controlling the drip of the content to the users, the company can control for this much more easily.
> 1) if I can cut out all of the BS in the feed, I can utilize the app more passively which likely reduces overall usage. I would try to get my social media into a weekly feed, which is not compatible with the business social media companies are trying to run. It's all about DAU's.
Fair point, some may use it much less. Ironically, I might use it even more, because now I can explore more. Being given only one path can bore me at times. Sometimes I want to choose my own path. I absolutely loved the Facebook Graph Search, but then it vanished and I'm back to just hoping that Facebook gives me what I want instead of letting me dive deeper. In other words, I spend a ton of time on Wikipedia rabbit holes even without an algorithm that tries to predict what I want.
> 2) total curation makes researching and optimizing the UX for eyeballs more difficult because you introduce an entirely new set of variables into the equation.
Ah, yeah, I agree with this. Fewer variables make it easier to run social experiments and behavioral research.
> Makes me wonder what are the main reasons they don't implement such options to help us better choose how we see the data...
Rather than anything nefarious, I think it might simply be down to the fact that it doesn't justify the engineering effort it would take to create a feed algo store or repo like you suggest considering how few people might actually use that feature.
The vast majority of people out there likely don't have the wherewithal, time nor inclination to carefully pick and tune the algo for their friend feed.
Maybe I overestimate how many people would use even simple sorting and filtering options if given the option.
Makes me wonder, how many people do you think have filters/rules/folders on their Gmail or other email inboxes? I assume a majority have some but maybe not.
For example, on Twitter, I love having the "latest tweets" option. But maybe I want to also have "only tweets from verified people with over 100 retweets from other verified people." This is somewhat possible on Tweetdeck, but not possible directly within Twitter itself.
It reminds me of the Facebook Graph Search, which I loved—"my friends of friends who speak Spanish who live in San Francisco." But FB shut that down a few years ago.
Makes me wonder what are the main reasons they don't implement such options to help us better choose how we see the data—is it technically difficult to implement? Does it run counter to the business model of placed advertisements? Does it really just unleash too much power in the hands of the users and make these companies afraid what might happen?
I'd love if they did implement the changes you suggest and I wonder why they haven't.