
Social Network Algorithms Are Distorting Reality by Boosting Conspiracy Theories - billhendricksjr
http://www.fastcoexist.com/3059742/social-network-algorithms-are-distorting-reality-by-boosting-conspiracy-theories
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dredmorbius
TL;DR: Recommendations systems _cannot_ be indifferent to truth.

Some related concepts:

1\. Donella Meadows, in _Thinking in Systems_ , notes that an absolute
requirement of an effective and healthy system is _accurate feedback and
information_. Media which are indifferent to truth value, or which _actively_
promote distortion (see Robert Proctor's term, _agnotology_ ), will actively
harm the system.

2\. Celine's 2nd law, and inversion. In Robert Anton Wilson's _Illuminatus!_
trilogy, a character notes that "accurate information is possible only in a
non-punishing situation". Its inverse is also true: acurate information is
only possible _when it is accuracy itself and ONLY accuracy_ which is
rewarded. Academic publishing, in which paper output and journal selection is
a gateway determinant of professional careers, would be an instance of this.
Or the long skew of _The Learning Channel_ from NASA-PBS educational co-
production to Honey Boo-Boo broadcaster.

3\. Paperclip Maximizer. "Don't be evil" isn't good enough. You've got to
_actively_ seek out _good_. Even a _benign_ maximisation goal will, if not
tempered by requirements to provide net benefit, lead to catastrophic results.

4\. Mancur Olson's "The Logic of Collective Action" explains how and why small
(but motivated) fringe groups can achieve goals directly opposed to the
interests of far larger groups. This explains a great deal of market and
political dysfunction.

5\. A generalisation of Gresham's Law leads to the realisation that
_understanding of complex truths is itself expensive_. It's also (Dunning-
Kruger) beyond the capability of much of the population. This also has some
rather dismal implications, though as William Ophuls notes, political theory
based on the assumption that all the children can be above average ("the Lake
Wobegon effect") are doomed. You dance with the dunce what brung ya.

Social media are being flagrantly self-serving and destructive.

