Post #2538188

2023-01-13 22:08 UTC

@techlife@indieweb.social No it is not "the functional equivalent of not using an algorithm," because it is literally only achieved through the implementation of an algorithm. The notion that an algorithm should only sort according to time, and that chronology is the most "objective" or "neutral" criteria, is actually a totally subjective value judgment. People often equate "algorithm" with data-driven predictive models, but that's a separate concept. @hildabast@mastodon.online @mission_europa@universeodon.com

Replies (2)

@techlife@indieweb.social 2023-01-13 22:27

@donnodubus@mas.to @hildabast@mastodon.online @mission_europa@universeodon.com in the context of the discussion it 100% is a functional equivalent. People post something, it appears on your timeline. That's not an algorithm in the sense of a device to change up the order in which you receive posts based on some artificial or external value judgement about what posts you should be seeing.

Open ##2538189
@techlife@indieweb.social 2023-01-13 22:30

@donnodubus@mas.to @hildabast@mastodon.online @mission_europa@universeodon.com in fact I'd like to know if there is any sort criteria involved at all or if the server simply displays the post on the time line as it receives it not based on the timestamp, not sorting by any criteria, simply displaying it as it is received (which may sometimes differ slightly from the time stamp). Do you know for sure that posts are sorted by time?

Open ##2538192