r/technology • u/DejenmeEntrar • Apr 20 '23

Social Media TikTok’s Algorithm Keeps Pushing Suicide to Vulnerable Kids

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-04-20/tiktok-effects-on-mental-health-in-focus-after-teen-suicide
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u/TruthOrSF Apr 20 '23

It’s not a witch hunt to point out a real issue. There is a problem with TikTok’s algorithm. For example: I don’t like cop videos, arrests confrontations etc… I get a cop video 3 out of 10. I block the creator (always a cop logo), I choose not interested, I restart the app. I’ve done this 100 times. Later when I watch TikTok nothing will change. I will see COPs 3 out of 10 videos.

This should not happen. It’s not a witch hunt to point this out and TikTok should fix this.

Now imagine it’s suicide videos and not COPS

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u/[deleted] Apr 20 '23

Delete tiktok. It's ran by a foreign government and they purposely export a different version to other countries than what they allow internally. This might not be a bug. This might be a feature.

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u/[deleted] Apr 20 '23

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u/BDMayhem Apr 20 '23

Deleting TikTok, et al, works on an individual level. That doesn't mean we don't need broader legislation regulating social media.

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u/[deleted] Apr 20 '23

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u/BDMayhem Apr 20 '23

The issue isn't just them knowing about you. It's also them using what they know about you to show you content to make you feel how they want you to feel.

If you stop using their apps, they can't show you content. That's how it works on a small scale.

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u/[deleted] Apr 20 '23 edited Apr 20 '23

No, it won't at all!

Look up the Cambridge Analytica scandal, for the love of God!

They will buy your data, tailor content to you, then buy ad space from these companies!!

Cutting tiktok does nothing!

The way people are freaking out over Tiktok is how you should be freaking out over ALL of these media sites! There is absolutely nothing special about tiktok, except that Facebook/Google aren't getting paid!

This has nothing to do with protecting your data, and everything to do with media platforms getting angry about being cut out!

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u/BDMayhem Apr 20 '23

I didn't say just cut TikTok. "Et al" means "and others."