#algorithms suck

[skidar]

Lil Number Chasing

I stopped doing fanart online for the most part after years of making a lot of fanart for shows like GF and CR and my engagement TANKED and then I hit nearly 2 years of horrible burnout (in the middle of the pandemic too cause who does life on easy mode ayyye) in which I still desperately tried to create stuff and felt horrible that nothing I made was good enough. Not good enough to make the ‘lil numbers’ on the post go up. Not good enough to get hired and not good enough to make things people cared about.

It feels good when the lil numbers go up but that shouldn’t be why we make art. I stopped looking at the lil numbers. I started making stuff for me, the lil numbers stay really lil, but I’m happier. The few people that also like my stuff talk to me about it. Their engagement is like an addiction to create more.

Shitposts, icorrect quotes, drabbles, short stories, whole novels are because out of 8000 (mostly human I hope but lesbihonest bots are everywhere) followers I found like five that like my stuff enough to chat about it and keep it going <3 I’m forever grateful to that goofy handful of people that make creating my own stuff worth it.

I dunno why I’m writing this, I see a lot of art friends from twitter panicking about the low lil numbers on their posts these days and when I check their stuff its numbers I could never fathom obtaining, let alone complain that they were too low. It makes me anxious about my own work all over again.

So what I guess I’m trying to say, and trying to live by my own example, is not to throw all your self worth into how big the lil numbers on your posts get. I understand how engagement can lead to work and stuff and its easier for more eyes to see and spread work to actually get hired but even casually we need to stop obsessing about the numbers themselves and start honing in on our work, why we really make it and who its really for.

We can only do what we can, and not burn ourselves out trying to compete with hostile algorithms just to watch the little number go up. I hope artists can still enjoy doing what you do and it hasn’t become a joyless, feverish state to keep work in this truly terrible time to be an artist/creator out there.

Tell your favorite artists that you love their work, that their characters make you happy, that their stories are a comfort to you. It means SO much more than the lil numbers and that sorta love and engagement makes them want to make more. Without it, the only feedback artists get is the rise and fall of the lil numbers on the post, THAT’S the approval we end up chasing.

[darkmuse112-og]

I reblogged ONE thing about a new medical show and now Tumblr thinks it's all I want to see.

I hate algorithms when it comes to social media feeds. That one action fucked the feed that I've been curating for 15 whole years. Like... no.

[dirtydragonthoughts]

I see the content farms on YouTube are already cranking out thought pieces on why Transformers: One is going to be bad.

I am so tired that outrage and hate is the best way to get clicks on something.

[readgoods]

Good news! It has them! The “like” button is called kudos and the “dislike” button is a little x on the top right of your browser. I hope this helps!

'ao3 needs a like and dislike button'

what you need, my algorithm-rotten minded friend, is a grip

[trueimaginox]

Since I don't make art constantly, I decided that I'm going to post memes and basically whatever I want and just not care about the algorithm (Assuming there even is one)

[floare-de-nu-ma-uitx]

how much did it hurt when u moved from just being a teenage girlie on tumblr to becoming a social media manager to a mid business and needing to adult

[playstationvii]

AI Data learning and Data management:

Learning and Integration of predictive algorithms for information subsequent subsets, data storage and advanced AI learning:

Sure, here are some of the algorithms I am using in my project:   Linear regression: This is a statistical method used to model the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. The equation for linear regression is as follows: y = β0 + β1x1 + β2x2 + … + βnxn where y is the dependent variable, x1, x2, …, xn are the independent variables, and β0, β1, β2, …, βn are the coefficients of the model.

Support Vector Machines (SVM): SVM is a supervised learning algorithm that can be used for both classification and regression tasks. The algorithm works by finding the hyperplane that best separates the data points in the dataset. The equation for SVM is as follows: y = f(x) = w^T x + b where w is the weight vector, x is the input vector, and b is the bias term.

Decision Trees: Decision trees are a type of supervised learning algorithm that can be used for classification and regression tasks. The algorithm works by splitting the dataset into subsets based on the values of the features, and then it creates a tree-like structure that maps the decisions that need to be made to reach the desired outcome. The equation for decision trees is as follows: y = f(x) = w1x1 + w2x2 + … + wnxn where y is the outcome, w1, w2, …, wn are the weights, and x1, x2, …, xn are the features.

Naive Bayes: Naive Bayes is a probabilistic classification algorithm that is based on Bayes' theorem. The algorithm works by assuming that the features are conditionally independent, which means that the value of one feature does not depend on the value of any other feature. The equation for Naive Bayes is as follows: P(y|x) = P(x|y)P(y)/P(x) where P(y|x) is the probability of y given x, P(x|y) is the probability of x given y, P(y) is the prior probability of y, and P(x) is the marginal probability of x.

K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN): KNN is a non-parametric classification algorithm that works by finding the k closest neighbors of a point in the dataset and using their labels to predict the label of the point. The equation for KNN is as follows: y = f(x) = 1/k * (w1y1 + w2y2 + … + wkyk) where y is the predicted label, k is the number of neighbors, w1, w2, …, wk are the weights, and y1, y2, …, yk are the labels of the k closest neighbors.

Random Forest: Random Forest is an ensemble learning algorithm that combines multiple decision trees to create a more accurate and robust model. The algorithm works by creating multiple decision trees, each with a random subset of the features, and then using the majority vote of the trees to make a prediction. The equation for Random Forest is as follows: y = f(x) = 1/n * (f1(x) + f2(x) + … + fn(x)) where y is the predicted label, n is the number of trees, and f1, f2, …, fn are the individual decision trees.

Neural Networks: Neural networks are a type of artificial intelligence that is inspired by the structure and function of the human brain. The algorithm works by using a network of interconnected nodes, or neurons, to process input data and make predictions. The equation for neural networks is as follows: y = f(x) = w1 * f(w2x1 + w3x2 + … + wnxn) + b where y is the predicted label, w1, w2, …, wn are the weights, x1, x2, …, xn are the input features, and b is the bias term.

[kessielrg]

Video: gets no views for most of the day

Me: notices impressions don’t exist so I look up how to improve them

Me: adds a SINGLE SHORT SENTENCE to video’s description

Me: takes 15 minutes to come home from work

Video: now has 20 views and 4k impressions to its name

[postapocalypticjugband]

Why the internet is less fun now

[tumblingxelian]

For the love of all that is holy do not force an  algorithm on us! 

We like curating our feeds, that is one of Tumblr's main selling points! 

You will lose users over this, I already have an active Pillowfort account, do not make me move everything over there, I will. 

Tumblr’s Core Product Strategy

Here at Tumblr, we’ve been working hard on reorganizing how we work in a bid to gain more users. A larger user base means a more sustainable company, and means we get to stick around and do this thing with you all a bit longer. What follows is the strategy we're using to accomplish the goal of user growth. The @labs group has published a bit already, but this is bigger. We’re publishing it publicly for the first time, in an effort to work more transparently with all of you in the Tumblr community. This strategy provides guidance amid limited resources, allowing our teams to focus on specific key areas to ensure Tumblr’s future.

The Diagnosis

In order for Tumblr to grow, we need to fix the core experience that makes Tumblr a useful place for users. The underlying problem is that Tumblr is not easy to use. Historically, we have expected users to curate their feeds and lean into curating their experience. But this expectation introduces friction to the user experience and only serves a small portion of our audience. 

Tumblr’s competitive advantage lies in its unique content and vibrant communities. As the forerunner of internet culture, Tumblr encompasses a wide range of interests, such as entertainment, art, gaming, fandom, fashion, and music. People come to Tumblr to immerse themselves in this culture, making it essential for us to ensure a seamless connection between people and content. 

To guarantee Tumblr’s continued success, we’ve got to prioritize fostering that seamless connection between people and content. This involves attracting and retaining new users and creators, nurturing their growth, and encouraging frequent engagement with the platform.

Our Guiding Principles

To enhance Tumblr’s usability, we must address these core guiding principles.

Expand the ways new users can discover and sign up for Tumblr.

Provide high-quality content with every app launch.

Facilitate easier user participation in conversations.

Retain and grow our creator base.

Create patterns that encourage users to keep returning to Tumblr.

Improve the platform’s performance, stability, and quality.

Below is a deep dive into each of these principles.

Principle 1: Expand the ways new users can discover and sign up for Tumblr.

Tumblr has a “top of the funnel” issue in converting non-users into engaged logged-in users. We also have not invested in industry standard SEO practices to ensure a robust top of the funnel. The referral traffic that we do get from external sources is dispersed across different pages with inconsistent user experiences, which results in a missed opportunity to convert these users into regular Tumblr users. For example, users from search engines often land on pages within the blog network and blog view—where there isn’t much of a reason to sign up. 

We need to experiment with logged-out tumblr.com to ensure we are capturing the highest potential conversion rate for visitors into sign-ups and log-ins. We might want to explore showing the potential future user the full breadth of content that Tumblr has to offer on our logged-out pages. We want people to be able to easily understand the potential behind Tumblr without having to navigate multiple tabs and pages to figure it out. Our current logged-out explore page does very little to help users understand “what is Tumblr.” which is a missed opportunity to get people excited about joining the site.

Actions & Next Steps

Improving Tumblr’s search engine optimization (SEO) practices to be in line with industry standards.

Experiment with logged out tumblr.com to achieve the highest conversion rate for sign-ups and log-ins, explore ways for visitors to “get” Tumblr and entice them to sign up.

Principle 2: Provide high-quality content with every app launch.

We need to ensure the highest quality user experience by presenting fresh and relevant content tailored to the user’s diverse interests during each session. If the user has a bad content experience, the fault lies with the product.

The default position should always be that the user does not know how to navigate the application. Additionally, we need to ensure that when people search for content related to their interests, it is easily accessible without any confusing limitations or unexpected roadblocks in their journey.

Being a 15-year-old brand is tough because the brand carries the baggage of a person’s preconceived impressions of Tumblr. On average, a user only sees 25 posts per session, so the first 25 posts have to convey the value of Tumblr: it is a vibrant community with lots of untapped potential. We never want to leave the user believing that Tumblr is a place that is stale and not relevant. 

Actions & Next Steps

Deliver great content each time the app is opened.

Make it easier for users to understand where the vibrant communities on Tumblr are. 

Improve our algorithmic ranking capabilities across all feeds. 

Principle 3: Facilitate easier user participation in conversations.

Part of Tumblr’s charm lies in its capacity to showcase the evolution of conversations and the clever remarks found within reblog chains and replies. Engaging in these discussions should be enjoyable and effortless.

Unfortunately, the current way that conversations work on Tumblr across replies and reblogs is confusing for new users. The limitations around engaging with individual reblogs, replies only applying to the original post, and the inability to easily follow threaded conversations make it difficult for users to join the conversation.

Actions & Next Steps

Address the confusion within replies and reblogs.

Improve the conversational posting features around replies and reblogs. 

Allow engagements on individual replies and reblogs.

Make it easier for users to follow the various conversation paths within a reblog thread. 

Remove clutter in the conversation by collapsing reblog threads. 

Explore the feasibility of removing duplicate reblogs within a user’s Following feed. 

Principle 4: Retain and grow our creator base.

Creators are essential to the Tumblr community. However, we haven’t always had a consistent and coordinated effort around retaining, nurturing, and growing our creator base.  

Being a new creator on Tumblr can be intimidating, with a high likelihood of leaving or disappointment upon sharing creations without receiving engagement or feedback. We need to ensure that we have the expected creator tools and foster the rewarding feedback loops that keep creators around and enable them to thrive.

The lack of feedback stems from the outdated decision to only show content from followed blogs on the main dashboard feed (“Following”), perpetuating a cycle where popular blogs continue to gain more visibility at the expense of helping new creators. To address this, we need to prioritize supporting and nurturing the growth of new creators on the platform.

It is also imperative that creators, like everyone on Tumblr, feel safe and in control of their experience. Whether it be an ask from the community or engagement on a post, being successful on Tumblr should never feel like a punishing experience.

Actions & Next Steps

Get creators’ new content in front of people who are interested in it. 

Improve the feedback loop for creators, incentivizing them to continue posting.

Build mechanisms to protect creators from being spammed by notifications when they go viral.

Expand ways to co-create content, such as by adding the capability to embed Tumblr links in posts.

Principle 5: Create patterns that encourage users to keep returning to Tumblr.

Push notifications and emails are essential tools to increase user engagement, improve user retention, and facilitate content discovery. Our strategy of reaching out to you, the user, should be well-coordinated across product, commercial, and marketing teams.

Our messaging strategy needs to be personalized and adapt to a user’s shifting interests. Our messages should keep users in the know on the latest activity in their community, as well as keeping Tumblr top of mind as the place to go for witty takes and remixes of the latest shows and real-life events.  

Most importantly, our messages should be thoughtful and should never come across as spammy.  

Actions & Next Steps

Conduct an audit of our messaging strategy.

Address the issue of notifications getting too noisy; throttle, collapse or mute notifications where necessary.  

Identify opportunities for personalization within our email messages. 

Test what the right daily push notification limit is. 

Send emails when a user has push notifications switched off.

Principle 6: Performance, stability and quality.

The stability and performance of our mobile apps have declined. There is a large backlog of production issues, with more bugs created than resolved over the last 300 days. If this continues, roughly one new unresolved production issue will be created every two days. Apps and backend systems that work well and don't crash are the foundation of a great Tumblr experience. Improving performance, stability, and quality will help us achieve sustainable operations for Tumblr.

Improve performance and stability: deliver crash-free, responsive, and fast-loading apps on Android, iOS, and web.

Improve quality: deliver the highest quality Tumblr experience to our users. 

Move faster: provide APIs and services to unblock core product initiatives and launch new features coming out of Labs.

Conclusion

Our mission has always been to empower the world’s creators. We are wholly committed to ensuring Tumblr evolves in a way that supports our current users while improving areas that attract new creators, artists, and users. You deserve a digital home that works for you. You deserve the best tools and features to connect with your communities on a platform that prioritizes the easy discoverability of high-quality content. This is an invigorating time for Tumblr, and we couldn’t be more excited about our current strategy.

[taleofharrison]

Sport!AU anyone?

[indialadina]

The morning after.

This one tanked on twitter / x so hard hehe, and I was so happy about the result... Anyway.

[bleaksqueak]

It is so unbelievably frustrating how the algorithm timeline keeps defaulting in a place that has been free of algo bullshit for so long. I cannot tell if it’s a glitch or if they’re just pushing it intentionally. It’s at least easy to go back to the following feed, but with bluesky users more and more depending on the discover feed and tumblr defaulting to the algorithm timeline it just feels like ‘be twitter’ is the shitty destiny being pushed everywhere.

Important video anyone should give a watch:

[bevsi]

”omg I hate this new art trend it’s so corny” well you’re on the internet promoting your art as well this isn’t a gallery setting WE’RE CORNY HERE

[theproboscismonkey]

YIKES!!!😰☝️

[why-the-heck-not]

truly my best brain time is in the middle of the night caffeine & sugar rush. I think I just understood math, like some part of the general pattern of math if that makes sense. something clicked somewhere in my brain and I felt it