Algorithms are already our bosses

Transcript

1. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   algorithms are
   *already*
   our bosses
   

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2. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   I work at Patreon
   so i get to meet a lot of online
   creators.
   

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3. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   online creators are
   fascinating people
   they are basically living in the future
   

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4. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   online creators
   have audiences
   I love asking creators how their
   fans discovered them
   Every story is delightful and unique
   

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5. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   with one major similarity
   

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6. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   Theres always a
   discovery platform
   involved
   Youtube
   M
   edium
   Twitch
   Spotify
   Twitter
   Facebook
   Instagram
   Soundcloud
   napchat
   terest
   din
   

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7. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   The discovery platform
   is the destination
   person
   arrives at
   platform
   & told what
   to consume
   

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8. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   In the middle is a
   recommendation algorithm
   

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9. @talraviv
   talraviv.org
   The algorithm does
   whatever it wants
   

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10. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What does the
    algorithm want
    •What drives the business? Ad revenue
    

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11. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What does the
    algorithm want
    •What drives the business? Ad revenue
    •What drives ad revenue? People
    looking at stuff
    

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12. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What does the
    algorithm want
    •What drives the business? Ad revenue
    •What drives ad revenue? People
    looking at stuff
    •What gets people to look at stuff?
    Content that makes people look at
    stuff for a long time, or makes people
    come back often, or both
    

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13. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What the algorithm
    doesnt really care about
    •Who clicked “subscribe” to you
    

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14. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What the algorithm
    doesnt really care about
    •Who clicked “subscribe” to you
    •Whether a fan wants to see your
    content today
    

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15. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    What the algorithm
    doesnt really care about
    •Who clicked “subscribe” to you
    •Whether a fan wants to see your
    content today
    •Ideas that are good and important
    but may not be popular
    

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16. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    You dont have to understand
    tech or robot psychology
    

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17. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    You just have to
    understand the incentives
    

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18. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    This brings me back to
    online creators
    

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19. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    Creators are
    independent
    entrepreneurial
    expressive
    free
    right?
    

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20. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    but they all have a boss
    that boss is an algorithm
    

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21. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    think about it
    

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22. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    they have a boss
    

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23. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    and here’s the thing:
    

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24. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    it’s not a good boss.
    

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25. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    would you want to work
    for someone who
    

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26. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    holds unclear expectations of you
    that change over time
    (and you have to figure them out
    from rumors or coworkers)
    https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/30/16222850/youtube-google-
    brain-algorithm-video-recommendation-personalized-feed
    

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27. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    compensates you
    inconsistently, on factors
    outside your control
    https://influencermarketinghub.com/4-factors-
    affect-youtube-earnings-potential/
    

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28. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    promotes people unrelated
    to their contribution
    “How the Youtube algorithm created Logan Paul” Jarvis Johnson
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GYXemlyd_Q
    

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29. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    fires people
    without feedback
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2017/09/18/
    adpocalypse-2017-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-
    youtubes-demonetization-troubles/
    

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30. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    expects you to work
    while on vacation or sick
    https://creatoracademy.youtube.com/page/lesson/trendsetter#strategies-zippy-link-1
    http://techtipswithtea.com/youtube-tips/consistency-really-matter-youtube/
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVJ6Gp6L6rA
    

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31. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    burned out
    your co-workers
    https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/sep/08/
    youtube-stars-burnout-fun-bleak-stressed
    

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32. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    holds power by being deeply embedded in
    the business and institutional knowledge
    and so can never get fired because it’s not
    worth it and no one has the courage or
    will to do it
    

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33. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    if i was thinking
    about a job
    

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34. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    and this was what i heard
    

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35. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    I would say nah
    

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36. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    the algorithm
    is a boss
    

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37. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    the algorithm
    is a toxic boss
    

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38. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    let that sink in
    

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39. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    

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40. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    thats one reason why i think creators live
    in the future
    they are the canaries in the coal mines
    

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41. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    

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42. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    and its more than content creators
    many more of us work for algorithms
    

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43. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    

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44. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    etsy makers
    

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45. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    etsy makers
    amazon sellers
    

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46. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    etsy makers
    amazon sellers
    thumbtack professionals
    

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47. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    etsy makers
    amazon sellers
    thumbtack professionals
    airbnb hosts
    

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48. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    uber and lyft drivers
    etsy makers
    amazon sellers
    thumbtack professionals
    airbnb hosts
    all work for algorithms
    

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49. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    we keep talking about future AI
    overlords
    

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50. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    we keep talking about future AI
    overlords
    but we already hired them
    to be our bosses
    

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51. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    so what do you do
    

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52. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    when you want to create
    

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53. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    and you have a toxic AI overlord boss
    

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54. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    be antifragile*
    *a term and a book by Nasim Taleb. My favorite non-fiction book ever.
    I keep it on my nightstand. I’m not joking
    

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55. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    how to be antifragile
    enjoy the upside
    •use the platforms to reach an
    audience and get discovered
    

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56. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    how to be antifragile
    enjoy the upside
    •use the platforms to reach an
    audience and get discovered
    •that’s uh, the upside
    

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57. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    how to be antifragile
    cap your downside
    •the downside comes when you want to
    reach your viewers but you can’t without
    adulterating your content or following
    orders from the algorithm
    

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58. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    how to be antifragile
    cap your downside
    •the downside comes when you want to
    reach your viewers but you can’t without
    adulterating your content or following
    orders from the algorithm
    •always make sure you can reach your
    fans even at times when it doesn't benefit
    the algorithm (more on this in a bit)
    

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59. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    use the platforms to get
    discovered
    

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60. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    direct decentralized ways
    to maintain contact
    

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61. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    collect emails
    collect phone numbers
    collect mailing address
    host an online community
    build your own app
    whatever is most natural to your
    audience
    

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62. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    so you don’t have to
    fake things like this
    

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63. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    in order to achieve this
    

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64. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    (btw thanks to everyone who joined
    through that post and didn’t unfriend me)
    

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65. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    in short disintermediate
    

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66. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    dont let
    the algorithm
    own you
    

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67. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    the end
    well sort of
    

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68. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    guess what im gonna ask you for now
    

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69. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    if you enjoyed this
    

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70. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    which is obvious
    because youre still clicking
    

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71. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    however you found this
    

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72. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    the most dependable way to hear about
    the next one
    

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73. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    is to leave your email
    

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74. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    so i can spam you
    

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75. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    with lots of emails
    

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76. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    and clickbait subject lines
    

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77. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    that is my promise to you
    

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78. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    kidding
    

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79. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    talraviv.org
    

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80. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    otherwise
    

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81. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    this interaction will be like
    a fleeting glance on the subway
    

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82. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    but theres no craigslist missed
    connections for content
    

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83. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    oh wait theres google search
    

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84. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    thats an algorithm too though
    

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85. @talraviv
    talraviv.org
    talraviv.org
    

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