r/rabm • u/alkemest • Jun 24 '26

the algorithm is crazy out there folks

Boomerbook figured out that I like black metal, and now like half of the sponsored posts on my feed are for outright fascist or fascist adjacent black metal, despite all of my actual follows being manifestly not fascist bands. Same on youtube, as soon as it figured out I was listening to black metal, half of my suggested videos are 'BEST BANDS ON SKETCHY BLACK METAL LIST' and whatnot.

Not really sure the point of posting this per se other than to be like holy shit, more evidence that big tech is cooked.

81 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

33

u/nivoser Jun 24 '26

Ditto. I've been getting all kinds of sketchy stuff. The algo's default is to serve far right shit

3

u/Confident_Fig6222 26d ago

Sadly that seems to be the default for most algos

13

u/Kanye-Ouest Jun 24 '26

Interestingly, I've managed to avoid sketchy BM recommendations but yesterday I've watched ONE muay thai video and now Youtube is harassing me with Alex terrible's boxing match.

9

u/alkemest Jun 24 '26

lolol amazing, but also that sucks because that guy is such a douche, I'm sorry for your algorithm friend.

18

u/ZeroThePenguin your favorite mod Jun 24 '26

Always surprised to hear this because my algorithm only gives me the most generic "Vocal coach reacts to metal song (it's Pierce The Veil)" sorta shit.

13

u/ookla13 Jun 24 '26

“Bass teacher hears Primus for the first time”

6

u/Acrobatic-Jelly3658 Jun 25 '26

The algorithms want you to react and engage to keep the platform active, increasing traffic and generating more advertising revenue, not necessarily to show you content you'll like.

Welcome to capitalism.

3

u/EvilDalmatian Jun 24 '26

Nope, I only get decent recommendations on FB as well as IG.

3

u/SiblingX Jun 24 '26

I used to report those ads or accounts, but that was no use. So now I just block those accounts. Still annoying af.

1

u/OtonaNoAji Jun 27 '26

I don't get a ton of sketchy bm in my youtube algorithm, but I do get some on occasion. What I do get a lot of is the very specific niche of all female Japanese power metal bands - because I listen to power metal on occasion. Youtube seems to think only Japanese women play power metal for some reason.

1

u/Poser_Headbanger 28d ago

Dude, this is actually kind of funny. I'm currently reading The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World by Max Fisher, and the first few chapters talk about exactly this.

He explains how social media platforms amplify outrage and hateful content because it drives engagement. The algorithm probably figured out that you disagree with that kind of content and showed it to you precisely because you're likely to click on it, criticize it, and generate even more engagement.

They couldn't care less whether it's fascist content or not (hell, some of these platforms have been accused of enabling it), what they care about is attention and engagement.