

Discussion 2.0: Personalization - bravura
http://metaoptimize.com/blog/2011/05/22/discussion-2-0-personalization/

======
alextp
Personalization seems like an attractive solution, but it is not clear if
personalization in this level is even achievable. Even assuming it is, there
is an inherent bias problem: if you never get to see what the computer things
you are not going to like, as soon as its model of you becomes slightly wrong,
you will never have the chance of correcting it and getting to see the good
stuff.

Regardless, I think it is undeniable that some clever filtering is necessary
to keep like people together in an environment they can both agree to enjoy
and respect, however that is. Personalization can do that without a priori
fixating on things like highbrow-versus-lowbrow, etc, which can easily kill a
community.

~~~
bravura
_If you never get to see what the computer thinks you are not going to like,
as soon as its model of you becomes slightly wrong, you will never have the
chance of correcting it and getting to see the good stuff._

This is an interesting technical objection. I am not sure that it is
necessarily true, though. If I properly weigh exploration (vs. exploitation),
and I present related users with stochastic feeds, then the system can explore
things it didn't realize that I might like.

Not that I think genetic algorithms are useful in general, but a genetic
algorithm would be useful in this specific circumstance. If I engage in K
discussions when the feed is driven by exploitation, but I engage in 2K
discussions when the feed is driven by more exploration, then I will prefer
explorative feeds. So I believe it would be possible to escape local minima.

~~~
ericwaller
Quick aside, if you haven't seen this TED talk, definitely check it out:
[http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bu...](http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html)

~~~
godkira
That's exactly what this article reminded me of. While I would love to only
see an internet filled with stimulating intellectual conversations, I don't
want an algorithm deciding what I see and don't see.

While a personalization approach could work, I believe that a better solution
is changing the way the discussion forum works, not hiding and censoring
certain content from certain people.

