Topic: Twitter Algorithm

An AI-generated image of a fake explosion at the Pentagon briefly rattled Wall Street, causing a $100 billion market move. The report suggests that the dip was triggered by algorithmic trading bots scanning Twitter for keywords, and posits that the hoax was likely a coordinated effort by traders to profit from short positions rather than a Russian state operation.

The hosts promote No Agenda Social, a decentralized social media instance based on the Mastodon protocol. They encourage listeners to move away from algorithmic platforms like Twitter to avoid censorship and data tracking. The "Troll Room" at trollroom.io is highlighted as a 24/7 community hub for live show interaction and information sharing among producers.

The hosts review the episode artwork for 1346, titled "The Pig," created by Darren O'Neill. They discuss how the Twitter cropping algorithm influences their choice of cover art, favoring centered images like O'Neill's work. Additionally, a review of Spindrift sparkling water concludes that the real grapefruit juice content makes it taste "sour" compared to other commercial brands.

The proliferation of blue verification checkmarks for local journalists on Twitter is linked to search engine optimization and the management of "data voids." Data voids occur when there is a lack of credible information on a specific search query, allowing "bad actors" to dominate results. Google's algorithms prioritize content from verified social media accounts, ensuring that "credible" journalists occupy the top of search results during breaking news events.

The hosts discuss a guide published in the No Agenda newsletter explaining how to find and disable the "interests" Twitter uses to filter user feeds. They discover that Twitter's algorithm incorrectly tagged them with interests ranging from Beyonce and Cardi B to "Mukbang" and vaping.

The hosts discuss why their tweets are not appearing in followers' feeds, speculating that the Twitter algorithm may be flagging their accounts as bots. Adam Curry notes that his use of the API to post show art and his lack of a "blue checkmark" may be contributing to his low visibility. They encourage users to move to No Agenda Social to avoid algorithmic manipulation.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the session observing a lack of color variety in modern vehicles on the freeway. The conversation shifts to Twitter's new algorithms, which Curry suspects are suppressing his reach due to his lack of a blue verification checkmark. He notes that engagement on his posts has dropped significantly and mentions that even searching for his handle no longer autocompletes.

The hosts discuss potential workarounds for Twitter's algorithmic suppression, including adjusting "interest" settings to change one's perceived milieu. Curry expresses skepticism about the future of the platform for the show's announcements. He promotes noagendasocial.com as a necessary alternative for the community to ensure reliable communication and alerts.

Facebook's research into chatbots and algorithmic information sorting is linked to attempts to change user attitudes and voting behavior. The hosts suggest that while Russia was blamed for election interference, Facebook's own internal experiments in "political mobilization" were far more significant. They also note that Twitter's political ad revenue remains surprisingly low compared to traditional TV spending.

The phenomenon of "shadow banning" is actually a function of Twitter's engagement algorithm, which surfaces replies designed to provoke user interaction. The algorithm's primary goal is to create advertising inventory by keeping users engaged through emotional triggers, often anger. This "over-socialization" can lead to real-world violence, as the machine learning models prioritize conflict over calm discourse to maximize clicks.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defended his decision not to ban Alex Jones during an interview with Sean Hannity, stating that Jones had not yet violated Twitter's specific rules. Dorsey discussed the complexities of ranking timelines, the impossibility of using AI to perfectly filter hate speech, and the necessity of human review for cultural context. He also addressed concerns regarding "shadow banning" and algorithmic transparency.

The hosts debate the functionality of social media feeds, comparing Twitter's chronological order to Facebook's algorithmic sorting. There is a discussion on "shadow banning" and how platforms may be filtering political content, such as the feeds of Representative Devin Nunes. One host argues that Facebook is losing users due to poor interface changes, while the other maintains that the platform remains dominant despite personal grievances.

Author Jaron Lanier explains how social media algorithms are designed to amplify negative emotions like fear and anger because they trigger faster user responses. This mechanical feedback loop reportedly rewards extremist content and contributes to political rancor, though the hosts debate the actual effectiveness and intent of these scripts.

The hosts debate whether Twitter's "Home" feed is actively manipulated to show content from unfollowed accounts. One host argues that the platform forces engagement through favorites and retweets, while the other maintains that personal experience does not reflect this systemic negativity.

Twitter blocked links to the No Agenda Show and related domains for several hours, flagging them as potential bot activity or dangerous content. The hosts bypassed the block by using a domain that forwards to their site, noting that Twitter's automated systems often label independent media links as violations of community standards.

Twitter's recommendation algorithm repeatedly suggests that users follow comedian Sarah Silverman. The hosts discuss the persistence of these suggestions despite personal preferences, questioning the underlying logic of the platform's automated systems.

John C. Dvorak complains about changes to Twitter's search algorithm that make it difficult to find Adam Curry's profile. He notes that searching for "Curry" now prioritizes NBA player Stephen Curry, even though Dvorak and Adam Curry follow each other. The hosts discuss the possibility of "shadow banning" and the general decline in Twitter's usability for connected users.

Twitter users protested a proposed shift from a chronological feed to an algorithmic timeline, leading to the trending hashtag #RIPTwitter. CEO Jack Dorsey is reportedly seeking ways to increase user engagement and stock price by mimicking Facebook's structure. Critics argue this change destroys the real-time nature of the platform that original users value.

Twitter is reportedly moving away from a strictly chronological timeline toward an algorithmic feed to "jumpstart user growth." This shift is viewed as a way for the platform to inject government propaganda and "unlawful content" filters. The company has also begun purging accounts associated with ISIS, signaling an evolution from a "virtual soapbox" to a controlled media platform that defines which messages are permissible.

Twitter's recommendation engine incorrectly suggests that one of the hosts follows Britney Spears. The "who to follow" column is criticized for its lack of accuracy, as a simple analysis of user interactions could yield better suggestions than the current automated system.