October 18, 2022

If Facebook is trying to tempt me away from TikTok with its "Reels" teasers, it's doing the opposite.

It seems to think my only interest is hair styling and isn't even remotely aware of what hair treatments might have something to do with me (as opposed to make me gag).

This came up in my Facebook feed this morning, and it is typical of what Facebook tries to feed me: 

 

In real life, I keep hair out of my feed.

23 comments:

Mike Sylwester said...

I thought you quit Facebook.

Cappy said...

Don't bother with FB. Post a picture of Hunter, and you're out!

Ann Althouse said...

"I thought you quit Facebook."

You're misremembering something. I go over there to see posts put up by a small collection of friends and family. I rarely put up anything of my own. Maybe sunrise photo now and then. I scroll through things maybe once a day, so that's why I see these repulsive hair teasers.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

1. Facebook wants to rule the world and throwing random shit up there is one way to tempt you yes.
2. No doubt Zuck is worried about that Chinese CIA app because TikTok spread faster than WuFlu.
3. Hair or lack of same is inoffensive to me but I’d like to avoid mention of gnarly old man feet. Yech.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I refuse to participate with FAcebook.

gilbar said...

people USED TO use facebook, to see posts from friends and family.. People LOVED IT
then, facebook changed itself, to being nearly ALL ads.. People HATED IT
NOW, facebook is Trying to get people back; by having random Reels from random people..
GUESS WHAT? people HATE IT!

If Only facebook could THINK about WHAT people liked about IT, and try going back to THAT.. But NO

Jupiter said...

What is a "Facebook feed"? I thought they had a "wall" or something.

Howard said...

Reminds me of the Progressive Insurance commercials where Dr. Rick counsels millennials about "becoming your parents". Zuc in middle age thinking he's down with what the kids today like.

Michael said...

Never once has Facebook promoted a Reel that I felt compelled to click. Their Algo is broken

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Justice Thomas keeps hairs out of his feeds too, or so I’d imagine.

Kate said...

I get hair in my feed, too, (blech) on YouTube. Nothing I watch indicates I might like it (and I don't) but I'm a woman. Either the algorithm can identify my preferred pronouns or it's watching me brush my hair through the phone camera.

Fred Drinkwater said...

"keep hair out of my feed."
This caused me to double-take and mumble "say what?"
Because when my long-haired sister said this (she of the horse-owning persuasion) she was explaining why she was putting her hair into a ponytail at the lunch table.

Ann Althouse said...

"What is a "Facebook feed"? I thought they had a "wall" or something."

I really don't care what bullshit lingo FB has made up for itself or if there are alternative ways of displaying its content. I go to "Facebook.com" and I see a feed.

Ficta said...

When Althouse started posting Tik Toks, I really liked a lot of them. So I installed the app on my phone. The "starting point" of what the algorithm tried to give me was appalling. Obese people yelling at each other, or, occasionally dancing obscenely to awful music. It was horrible. And very weird. Why start there? So I spent a half hour or so swiping, liking, just to see if I could train this famous Algorithm. It got a little better, but not much. So, for now, I just watch the ones that show up here. Althouse is my algorithm. LOL.

Leland said...

YouTube does something similar with “shorts”. It is annoying because they push producers of content I like to make content I don’t like, and when some of those producers know their audience, then the filler recommendations just aren’t interesting to me. Of course, if you disagree with their AI predicted results; it is because you are racist and homo/transphobic and definitely not because their AI sucks at making predictions.

Paddy O said...

Facebook Purity extension is a big help

Butkus51 said...

We will make you like it. You will comply. Eventually.

stlcdr said...

Ficta said...
... I just watch the ones that show up here. Althouse is my algorithm. LOL.

10/18/22, 9:44 AM


Althouse is also a news aggregator. Much like the other blogs I visit.

Black Bellamy said...

That's all it's good for, looking at your friends pictures and shit. FB is on it's way out, it's the new old Myspace. Zuck knows it, that's why he's pushing his turdoverse so hard.

MadisonMan said...

Are the Facebook reels from your friends only? I see them on FB but I've not noticed closely enough to see if they're random or from people I have friended.
If these are people you've friended, making those reels, just unfriend them!

Robert Roy said...

I hate the Reels. They seem to always be some sort of obviously fake, overly elaborate "practical joke" by people so desperately trying to get any sort of fame. And of course for engagement they drag it out way too long.

Ann Althouse said...

“ Are the Facebook reels from your friends only?”

No. It’s Facebook promoting itself. They are trying to lure me in and failing terribly.

Baceseras said...

In real life, I keep hair out of my feed

Reason No. 22 why you're not a cat lady.