this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2026
27 points (100.0% liked)

Explain Like I'm Five

21897 readers
4 users here now

Simplifying Complexity, One Answer at a Time!

Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Engage in constructive discussions.
  4. Share relevant content.
  5. Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
  6. Use appropriate language and tone.
  7. Report violations.
  8. Foster a continuous learning environment.

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca
schnurrito@discuss.tchncs.de
27
[ELI5] Social media algorithms. Like what is the science and/or engineering behind it. (lemmy.world)
submitted 6 days ago by HoneyMustardGas@lemmy.world to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
8 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

In layman's terms because I am technologically and academically illiterate.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] thfi@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 6 days ago

Yes, and there are variations thereof. Some content may be shown that the platform wants to push (e.g. Elon Musk's personal posts). Then, based on what the algorithm knows about you, it will show something controversial to trigger a reaction from you (meaning you will spend more time on the platform). Finally, just random stuff will be shown to see how you will react, allowing to update the model of you.