If there was too much transparency marketers would try to game the system. It works well enough the way it is. But I have observed that stories in which the comments are unproductive or too heated tend to rank lower.
I don't buy the argument that transparency will bring abuse. Transparency can actually make it easier to understand and mitigate abuse because users and moderators will know what to look for. The benefits, such as increased trust and better quality content, far outweigh the potential downsides. Clear guidelines (how the algorithm actually works) can help users create more valuable content while still allowing the system to adapt and respond to any manipulative behaviors.
