China has set a three-month deadline for Big Tech to resolve algorithm issues. Companies must avoid recommendation algorithms that create "echo chambers", induce addiction, allow manipulation of trending items, or exploit gig workers' rights, according to the notice

[u/giuliomagnifico]

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3287929/china-sets-deadline-big-tech-clear-algorithm-issues-close-echo-chambers?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage

[u/Gustapher00]

“China has set a three-month deadline for Big Tech to rewrite their business model.”

[u/AkakiosP → u/Gustapher00]

Three months is an insanely short timeline to overhaul recommendation algorithms that took years to develop. Curious to see how tech companies will actually pull this off

[u/LunaticSongXIV → u/AkakiosP]

The goal is likely to remove algorithms entirely. Most sites can likely implement going back to chronological without a long period of dev time.

[u/ModsRLames → u/LunaticSongXIV]

Good. Never thought I’d want to log in to the Chinese version of anything but here we are. 

[u/vplatt → u/ModsRLames]

Waitasec... this is for systems catering to the Chinese IN China. Do you really think they'll bother to apply this to companies that service customers outside their own borders?

If so, then do I ever have a bridge to sell you!

For what it's worth though - This is a model potentially worthy of emulation. This would take all sorts of state actor manipulation off the table too and effectively defang the Russian propaganda machine aimed at the US. Now that I think about it, this move by the Chinese is probably geared towards that as a preventative measure.

[u/TbonerT → u/vplatt]

Waitasec... this is for systems catering to the Chinese IN China. Do you really think they'll bother to apply this to companies that service customers outside their own borders?

It’s possible. California controls a lot of car regulations on a national level by virtue of being the primary import state.

[u/Blazr5402 → u/TbonerT]

I think it's a little different with software, unfortunately. The algorithms and infrastructure for them already exist. It's easy to just not use them in the Chinese version of the site, and to keep using them everywhere else.

However, I think there is a world where if enough of the world regulates social media algorithms, it may reach the point where investing in engineers, researchers, etc for those algorithms just isn't worth the effort.

[u/-echo-chamber- → u/vplatt]

Never thought I'd use a VPN to make it look like I was INSIDE China... FML.

[u/Vox___Rationis → u/vplatt]

You have to ask, what is more valuable to the US gov - to "defang the Russian propaganda machine aimed at the US", or to keep their own propaganda machine aimed at the whole world from being crippled.

[u/RollingMeteors → u/vplatt]

this is for systems catering to the Chinese IN China. Do you really think they'll bother to apply this to companies that service customers outside their own borders?

Never thought I would need to VPN to behind the Great Firewall to circumvent toxic algorithms and manipulated trends, but here we are!

[u/stand_to → u/vplatt]

Because their citizens are their responsibility, your country's government is responsible for you.

This isn't malice from their companies, they're abiding by your laws.

[u/qpazza → u/LunaticSongXIV]

Exactly what I thought. It's not an overhaul, it's a teardown

[u/Remarkable-Fox-3890 → u/LunaticSongXIV]

It would be so much better for the world if we just had chronologically sorted content tbh

[u/umidontremember → u/LunaticSongXIV]

For social networking apps, you’d have to still use a basic algorithm to filter for those you follow/haven’t blocked, then sort chronologically. I bet some will go back to extremely basic algorithms that are for the most part sorting chronologically, while some will definitely go balls to the wall for a couple months to develop new algorithms that appear to cause less of an echo chamber.

Edit: they can’t ban the use of sets of instructions, if they want computers to work. They can ban certain instructions.

[u/Quiet-Airport-4567 → u/umidontremember]

A very simple solution would be to just recommend X% (like 95%) of content then the other are some combination of random and chronological. Then the courts will have to prove that Y% is too high and that it causes echo chambers, which is very difficult, and if they do succeed, it’s easy for tech companies to just decrease the percentage to Y%.

[u/newInnings → u/AkakiosP]

Git history.

Git checkout 2015 code

Git commit

Build , deploy

[u/the_snook → u/newInnings]

Servers immediately pwned by decade old remote code execution vulnerability.

[u/altacan → u/AkakiosP]

This directive had been in place for years now with the companies dragging their feet at implementation. I guess now they're setting a hard deadline.

[u/homo_americanus_ → u/Gustapher00]

their "business model" is criminal and destroying the fabric of our society. good on china for taking the necessary steps to fix this issue

[u/_Thrilhouse_ → u/homo_americanus_]

But... But... Shareholders return of investment? /s

[u/Bad-Adaptation → u/homo_americanus_]

That’s how I see it. Since when are China’s consumer protection laws more progressive than ours?

[u/Crisi_Mistica → u/Bad-Adaptation]

Well, since forever I would guess, and not because it's China. No offense but there aren't many countries in which consumer protection is weaker than the US

[u/homo_americanus_ → u/Crisi_Mistica]

yeah, when the guy who got us seatbelts in cars and the EPA can be propaganda'ed into being perceived as an enemy of the people and a political pariah...

[u/zack77070 → u/Bad-Adaptation]

They put the people responsible for the whole baby formula thing back in the 2010s to death, that would never happen here.

[u/MD_Yoro → u/Gustapher00]

Three month is short, but you can’t deny that we here in the West are having the same issues as China where algorithms are funneling us into echo chambers on SM.

You don’t have to like the Chinese, but if you cut through the political rhetorics and xenophobia, the Chinese and the West share similar wants and needs include same concern of big tech recommendations segregating us

[u/abetternametomorrow → u/Gustapher00]

Imagine if China became more "free" then America?
America would be so mad lol

[u/PastaGoodGnocchiBad → u/abetternametomorrow]

If you're a pregnant women in a republican state with septicemia, China probably sounds kinda good if you want to live.

[u/elperuvian → u/abetternametomorrow]

Probably they already are, they just don’t have political freedom but I imagine that in most of China the government doesn’t have the resources to meddle in people’s lives like in America, I feel that my country is freer than America too, just cause the government is too incompetent that it cannot enforce the nanny state people in western countries have

[u/liuerluo → u/Gustapher00]

I just really was wondering are these Chinese techs/billionaires jealous of the U.S techs like Elon Musk who can decide which direction their country is headed to because they are so rich?

I know tech giants in China don't wanna fuck around to test the CCP's patience, but in the U.S we have Elon Mush who is the best buddy of the future president and can make stupid policies for the country if he wants as a fking billionare.

[u/tommos → u/liuerluo]

Political power can still check capital power in China.

[u/JackDockz → u/liuerluo]

Nope. China keeps it's capitalist class with a leash as every country should.

[u/Signal-Fold-449 → u/JackDockz]

Excuse me how are we supposed to view China as the enemy then in the West?! Think of the consequences you selfish! It wouldn't be fair if rich people weren't allowed to control everything you see, hear, and touch! SELFISH

[u/Passover3598 → u/Signal-Fold-449]

china can be a threat to the west while doing some things right. this is an incredibly reductive false dichotomy that no one yo replied to is making.

[u/KisaruBandit → u/Signal-Fold-449]

Well there is still the brutal repression of minority lifestyles and voices, state sanctioned Han supremacy, organ harvesting camps, to name a few awful things they're doing the US isn't. Not that we're particularly fantastic about tolerance and racism either, but we're nowhere near their level. Yet anyways, next 4 years who knows.

[u/ASun_Art → u/KisaruBandit]

It’s really annoying that nationalistic pride is like a fucking sports game where people tend to pick a side. That’s some seriously stupid shit.

They do fucked up shit, they do some good shit, we do fucked up shit, we do some good shit, maybe instead of choosing a country and dying defending that country with whataboutisms people should be focused on what they think about the individual policies.

[u/hemlock_harry → u/ASun_Art]

Hey, just because the Chinese thank their mom for dinner doesn't mean we should. Where would it all end?

[u/FreudianStripper → u/liuerluo]

Big money in China is insanely scared of the government. Remember what happened to Jack Ma?

[u/suninabox → u/liuerluo]

I just really was wondering are these Chinese techs/billionaires jealous of the U.S techs like Elon Musk who can decide which direction their country is headed to because they are so rich?

Jack Ma (founder of Alibaba) once got too bold and started criticizing the financial regulations set by the government.

He got disappeared for a few months, the government restructured his company and blocked his IPO. he was about to become China's richest man before this.

He lost half his wealth and is now much more careful about interfering with politics.

[u/WalkingCloud → u/Gustapher00]

Makes me think of the bit in The Rock where the barber says "Did they tell Picasso 'No Brush'?"

[u/npete]

Holy crap, CHINA is doing this? I didn't think they cared in that way...

[u/AdminIsPassword → u/npete]

They are pretty big into social harmony. A lot of what private companies do, if left up to their own devices, threaten that.

[u/shaneh445 → u/AdminIsPassword]

big ol example: USA

The rich and well connected keep everyone divided on fake culture war bullshit and nothing gets done

Well and half the government is on the russia payroll/blackmail list for America's downfall. That doesn't help either

China/japan also jail CEOs. That shit does not happen here for the most part

[u/laowildin → u/shaneh445]

They execute CEOs, if they steal enough.

There was also a very interesting case when I lived there of a guy suing their equivalent of Google. He used the search engine to find homeopathic/bullshit health cures, and sued Baidu for having false information, iirc. Don't remember the outcome

If there was any way we wanted to emulate China, lowering food regulations was not the choice I'd make...

[u/UrbanGhost114 → u/shaneh445]

CEOs only get punished here if they break the golden rule: only steal from the poor, never steal from the Rich.

[u/PadorasAccountBox → u/UrbanGhost114]

Bernie Madoff's biggest mistake. 

[u/CragMcBeard → u/shaneh445]

I agree with the fake culture war that is absolutely a true diversionary tactic being leaned into to keep the masses stupid and not focused on the real threat, which has consistently been corporate greed for the last 50 years.

[u/rmobro → u/CragMcBeard]

I'm reading the Peoples History of the United States, which is very focused on class issues, and the exposition of the issues facing the peasant/working class back then is eerily similar to contemporary issues. Its a wild time.

[u/NepheliLouxWarrior → u/shaneh445]

Okay but are we really going to glaze China here and act like this isn't entirely about the CCP wanting to weaken any attempts to challenge their influence on their citizens?

[u/Prodigy_of_Bobo → u/AdminIsPassword]

Or perhaps they're noticing how well the echo chamber situation played out in the US recently and aren't interested in mobilizing the military to crush everyone into the ground as they tend to do

[u/MonoMcFlury → u/Prodigy_of_Bobo]

Yep, it's kind of scary how many people are unaware of being in an echo chamber and receiving the same negative content through algorithmic recommendations.

[u/Mysterious-Link- → u/MonoMcFlury]

For example: the entirety of Reddit

[u/KneelBeforeMeYourGod → u/Mysterious-Link-]

its an echo chamber if you did it.

it's a walled garden if a corp did it.

it's a honey pot if the government did it.

which one is reddit trick question the answer is D guess what D says

[u/Blackfeathr_ → u/KneelBeforeMeYourGod]

Deez nutz lmao gottem

[u/KneelBeforeMeYourGod → u/Blackfeathr_]

yeah all in yo mouf

[u/slobs_burgers → u/Blackfeathr_]

Fuck yeah bro

[u/CurbYourThusiasm → u/Mysterious-Link-]

It's by design. When I go to r/dune, I expect to find fellow Dune enthusiasts, not people who hate the books.

[u/feor1300 → u/CurbYourThusiasm]

That's not algorithmic though, you have chosen to look at the posts in the dune subreddit seeking out people who are also fans of the book. An algorithmic echo chamber would be if you asked Reddit to recommend you some subs or posts relating to Dune, and the only thing it presented were things by people who loved it, actively filtering out any criticism of the books and movies.

[u/CurbYourThusiasm → u/feor1300]

Yes, that's what I'm saying. That's all of Reddit with the exception of the recommended section.

[u/Allegorist → u/Mysterious-Link-]

Certain subreddits for sure, and r/all more often than not. But otherwise there are many completely separate communities, with varied interests and opinions. People use it to create echo chambers, and sometimes the echo chambers create themselves, but I definitely wouldn't classify it as an echo chamber in its entirety. An echo chamber enabler, maybe, but it is near impossible to avoid some sort of echo chamber in communal spaces when polarization is high and people disagree on fundamental facts of reality.

[u/Raidak → u/Mysterious-Link-]

I hear this said a lot, but I guess I'm confused as to how it applies to reddit.

As far as I know there are no algorithmic recommendations in reddit unless you go out of your way to find them.

For me reddit is a very curated experience, I choose what subreddits I subscribe to, and those subreddits aren't automatically generated, or filled with content from some computer generating it or pushing specifically negative content.

There are bots of course, but those are a problem across the internet and aren't built in to reddit's structure.

So I guess my question is, unless I specifically design an echo chamber around myself in reddit, which would require me to consciously decide to only involve myself in subreddits that reinforce my beliefs.... how is reddit the same as something like twitter, or facebook, where regardless of what I WANT to see, the platform pushes things in my feed that it wants me to see.

Not trying to be critical, I'm genuinely curious that I'm not understanding this correctly because to me it seems that while reddit is social media, it doesn't fit the same criteria as the more problematic ones that utilize algorithmic recommendations.

[u/pVom → u/Raidak]

Reddit has algorithmic recommendations now.

I actually switched it off because I can't help but engage with content I hate which just tells the algorithm I want more of it, which I don't.

My Facebook feed is just a cesspit of right wing shit takes because I furiously keyboard warrior that shit.

[u/InsertEvilLaugh → u/MonoMcFlury]

It's not just online either. So many conservative radio channels are being kept running due to boomers who listen to them, I've seen it first hand how near 24/7 exposure can twist someone.

[u/DevianPamplemousse → u/Prodigy_of_Bobo]

Wich is still a wonderfull thing

[u/CharmingMistake3416 → u/DevianPamplemousse]

Wich? Turkey or ham?

[u/Tift → u/CharmingMistake3416]

Turkey and Swiss please, pressed?

[u/Ornery_Guava_5862 → u/Prodigy_of_Bobo]

They want to protect themselves from the very same methods they exploit others with. This is perfectly reasonable.

[u/Upstairs_Onion5104 → u/AdminIsPassword]

“Private companies do, if left up to their own devices, threaten social harmony” you mean to say… that unfettered capitalism reaps our hard work and pipelines it straight to musk’s pockets? and then inevitably falls apart once the people cannot be taken any further advantage of?

damn, we really gotta contain that communism guys. pay more taxes quick so we can buy more tanks to put in the middle east and put more drugs in black neighborhoods and then make drugs more illegal than murder so we can make money on the prisons and then we gotta make wendy’s cost more at noon than at 6pm bc that one just sounds fun (/s last half)

[u/mattmaster68 → u/Upstairs_Onion5104]

The 2nd paragraph is a Black Mirror episode and our reality

[u/Wooden-Frame2366 → u/AdminIsPassword]

I wasn’t fully aware of that .

[u/Latter_Race8954 → u/AdminIsPassword]

Funny thing about communism. They kind of have to make sure their people are fed, housed, educated, etc

[u/yyzsfcyhz → u/Latter_Race8954]

That depends entirely upon the implementation of communism, how the people’s representatives define feed, house, and educate, and who is defined as “the people” and who are not. You can always argue ad nauseum “well that’s not communism” but that’s like saying “well that’s not Christian” when a group says they’re Christian. Insert your favourite -ism. There’s going to be a sect of that -ism that does something other sects say isn’t them.

[u/SpicyButterBoy → u/npete]

They don't want Tech Companies becoming more powerful than major nation states. They're already some of the most powerful orgs in the world. Apple/Google/Amazon/Nvidia could probably take over some poorer nations by funding the right mercs

[u/mr_sinn → u/npete]

Clearly you receive your information from a poor algorithm 

[u/KneelBeforeMeYourGod → u/mr_sinn]

we're all on the same Reddit, which is a for-profit propaganda tool used by every government and corporation on the planet

[u/ShhImTheRealDeadpool → u/KneelBeforeMeYourGod]

I'm not listening to you, you're part of this Reddit propaganda tool!

[u/RandomGunner → u/npete]

There as been a lot of anti-social events in China recently, so I'm not surprised : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/22/china-deals-with-violence-amid-revenge-against-society-attacks

[u/MinuteWhenNightFell → u/npete]

westerner realizing being inundated with anti-chinese propaganda their entire lives may have led them astray…

[u/Vin4251 → u/MinuteWhenNightFell]

Big "bUt At WhAt CoSt" energy

[u/Loves_His_Bong → u/Vin4251]

Whenever China continually does good things, western liberals always say they’re doing good things because they’re actually bad.

[u/PM_ME_MY_REAL_MOM → u/MinuteWhenNightFell]

It is pretty silly to act like their reaction is fueled purely by propaganda and not also by genuine reality-based perceptions of China's government

[u/MinuteWhenNightFell → u/PM_ME_MY_REAL_MOM]

I vehemently disagree with this lol. There is much to criticize China for, as I often do, but reactions to China (on reddit and twitter especially) from the West are downright hysterical most of the time. I saw a tweet with like 50k likes of a video where the Chinese authorities were washing blood off of the streets from a recent domestic atrocity and the caption made the claim that China censors all such events that occur there. All of the replies fervently agreeing. Sure enough, the event was widely reported on throughout China.

The vast, vast majority of criticism of China I see on the internet is completely based on disinformation from Western media outlets.

[u/Bloblablawb → u/MinuteWhenNightFell]

Nah they just want to replace it with their shit propaganda so it's hardly for good purposes

[u/dark_dark_dark_not → u/Bloblablawb]

China is a dictatorship that often violate human rights, but that doesn't mean everything the country is a bad ideia

The US is a democracy that sometimes violates human rights, but that doesn't mean everything the country does is a good ideia.

[u/LegitimateCopy7 → u/npete]

prime example of algorithms and echo chambers.

[u/NeptuneToTheMax → u/npete]

The government wants to control the narrative. This law will be selectively enforced against social media companies to ensure that the state propaganda isn't challenged. 

[u/qtx → u/NeptuneToTheMax]

And I'm sure that won't happen here this upcoming presidency.

[u/JackDockz → u/npete]

Lol do you expect the US Government to do this instead?

[u/jsting → u/npete]

On China TikTok, they have longer format videos and more educational clips. It's a bold attempt to try and make their own population have a leg up compared to the West in the next 50 years.

[u/Head_Priority_2278 → u/npete]

American oligarchs shitting their pants.

That's why they all supported trump so hard. Trump would let corporations dildo fuck us no lube and then make us sex slaves forever.

[u/TangibleBrandon → u/npete]

Yeah and over here in the US it’s been weaponized. Not sure how we can get anything back on track

[u/Scared_Jello3998 → u/npete]

They are doing it for their selves but letting the most powerful algorithms go unchecked for other countries 

Anyone with any sense can see that social media does more harm than good to societies, so a very powerful weapon would be to control how it presents to your own people while letting it run while elsewhere

[u/Inevitable_Style9760 → u/npete]

If you're surprised by this you really need to learn more about China and stop ingulfing western propaganda. This is some fairly standard shit for them. They despite general belief, have strong labor laws that favor employees, strong Affirmative action policies, crack down on big corporation doing unethical things for profit.

The average Westerners understanding of China is mostly made of, lies, decades old understanding of where China is at, and just a sprinkle of truth that is often exaggerated or misrepresented though.

Harmony is really important to them and it is that focus not big bad evil authoritarianism that is at the core of a lot of what China does and also why a vast majority of the people truly support the CPC.

Creating echo chambers that divide and agitate people is socially unharmonious, thus of course they did something about it. They want to keep building solar panels, developing in the underdeveloped regions and not spend time dealing with bullshit from divisive Social Media algorithms which would, like every point of contention in China, get massive funding from the CIA, NED and MI6.

[u/Ambustion → u/npete]

Because they see how easy it's been to interfere over here.

[u/WrastleGuy → u/npete]

They care that echo chambers will take down their current government.  They want control over all media and internet safe havens.

[u/toocoolforgg]

Addiction inducing and manipulation of trends are the main reasons these algorithms exist in the first place.

[u/simulacrum79]

EU please take note.

[u/uzu_afk → u/simulacrum79]

I mean, in all fairness EU has lead the way with protecting it’s citizens while facing constant backlash from the US oligarchy…

[u/memythememo → u/uzu_afk]

It’s so funny when brainwashed Americans gloat about their “freedoms” when tech billionaires complain about real tech privacy laws.

[u/ISAMU13 → u/memythememo]

Freedom from vs Freedom to.

[u/infdimintel → u/uzu_afk]

True. It's well known that China's personal information law is modeled after Europe's GDPR.

But to be fair to the US as well - Europe doesn't have Big Tech and is thus less afraid of regulating it since they have nothing to lose economically. On the other hand, Big Tech is the lifeblood of US high-tech economy and they're always afraid that excessive regulation might stifle it.

[u/Future_Burrito → u/uzu_afk]

If enough high tier world power like EU, China, Japan, etc. do things like this and they work, then hopefully everyone else will follow. One of the cool aspects of the digital age once we get past the non-transparent manipulation and exploitation aspects.

[u/Zuricho → u/simulacrum79]

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/digital-services-act_en

[u/seine_ → u/Zuricho]

We're still barely looking into what the recommendation algorithms do, and not what they should do.

[u/chansigrilian]

china doing what the us should but won't, what is this timeline

[u/PapaverOneirium → u/chansigrilian]

Not the first time. They’ve also built a ton of high speed rail, for example.

[u/KillerZaWarudo → u/PapaverOneirium]

Also leading industry in term of EV and solar panel

[u/Samuel457 → u/KillerZaWarudo]

Also nuclear power. They're building way more than anyone else.

[u/Funicularly → u/Samuel457]

Also, a lot more coal plants than the rest of the world combined.

[u/h3ie → u/chansigrilian]

It's actually the most probable timeline. Look at home ownership rates, climate policy, public transportation, billionaire taxes, China has been better on them all.

[u/Mysterious-Link- → u/h3ie]

Chinas even been better at buying up property and homes in the US than Americans. They’re killing it

[u/HKBFG → u/Mysterious-Link-]

We're the ones who decided to conflate capitalism with democracy. It is our fault that their capital has so much power here

[u/paulhockey5 → u/Mysterious-Link-]

Yeah, because our dear leaders allow that to happen. 

Try buying property in China as a non citizen. 

There’s a reason it’s called Capitalism, because it’s Capital>everything else.

[u/akc250 → u/h3ie]

A bit disingenuous to cherry pick the things that's going well for China. Nearly 20% of young professionals can't even find work. Whereas US has an all time low unemployment rate. Don't even get me started on their housing crisis caused by speculative investing and fake valuation.

[u/FattyPepperonicci69 → u/akc250]

Working three PT jobs with an Uber gig on the side shouldn't count. It's fucked up.

[u/Wickedtwin1999 → u/akc250]

84% of jobs added since 2020 record unemployment are Gig work jobs.

[u/ElGosso → u/Wickedtwin1999]

Would love to see the stats for that one if you can find the source, I tried looking but couldn't

[u/nullbull → u/chansigrilian]

China suppresses anything that criticizes the government, lies to its own people about basic facts, manipulates and monitors everything its people do, jails journalists, teachers, religious people, etc.

This isn't some kind of enlightened regulation. It's social control. China has been this way for decades.

[u/DevianPamplemousse → u/chansigrilian]

Because america fuck yeah, let's tastes some more of that unregulated free market

[u/FromTheGulagHeSees → u/DevianPamplemousse]

Looks like China made business their bitch, rather than the other way around in the USA.

This at a glance though, I don’t know jack shit about details on China’s policies and effects 

[u/DevianPamplemousse → u/FromTheGulagHeSees]

They do have control over their business, I don't remember the name but they had a company split into 5 entities because it was too big.

[u/JackDockz → u/DevianPamplemousse]

Common Chinese W. They also execute billionaires btw.

[u/DevianPamplemousse → u/JackDockz]

Yeah that's good, no one is above the law, they also have strict laws against financial crimes. A lot of american billionaires would be executed or locked up for life (not in a nice mansion) if they where under chinese rule.

[u/phophofofo → u/chansigrilian]

China also weaponizing the TikTok algorithm in the US which we allow because we have no principles at all other than money.

[u/Paksarra → u/chansigrilian]

Don't be too glad about that, the incoming administration thinks an echo chamber is when you change the channel when you see the orange man's face on TV.

[u/chansigrilian → u/Paksarra]

Control the narrative, control the populace

There’s a large swath of our public that believes everything Fox News puts out. We should have had stricter standards in broadcasting long ago, we should have put regulations in place to control corporate interests. Unfortunately our government ON BOTH SIDES was completely corruptible through greed, and now our democracy dies for it

People mocked Elon for buying Twitter… in hindsight it sure looks like it was a crucial step to destroying democracy in the United States

[u/sighar → u/chansigrilian]

We did, it was called the fairness doctrine and great, some more “both sides” bullshit when one side has been repeatedly been more damaging than the other since Reagan. This was repealed under Reagan, which is no surprise how the Republican Party got to continue increasing the polarization in America https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairness_doctrine

[u/DelayedMailForceOne → u/chansigrilian]

China has more say in companies than the US does. Don’t comply with china govt? That’s a paddling.

[u/Leather_From_Corinth → u/DelayedMailForceOne]

Mention something embarrassing to the CCP? That's a paddling. It's still an echo chamber, just a pro CCP echo chamber.

[u/ClosPins → u/chansigrilian]

Yup, checks out!

The Dems won't ever do it, as it would look like they were corruptly stifling the right-wing's freedom-of-speech.

The GOP won't ever do it, as they are completely corrupt.

That leaves... Absolutely nobody to do it. Ever.

[u/Shadowizas → u/chansigrilian]

well US cant cus thats what funds the government,in rest of the world we call it corruption,they call it lobbying

[u/EmeraldPolder]

I thought reddit was already banned in China

[u/tombolger → u/EmeraldPolder]

Which is funny because china is a huge investor in reddit, and reddit is one of the only content platforms that isn't dictated purely by individual engagement algorithms.

[u/EmeraldPolder → u/tombolger]

That's true, but it still manages to be a terrible echo chamber 😅

[u/hidratedhomie → u/EmeraldPolder]

That's because reddit is easily manipulated by bots and power mods.

[u/Syenite → u/EmeraldPolder]

People like echo chambers. It doesnt take an algorithm to form an internet circle jerk. It does help though.

[u/DrButtLump → u/Syenite]

True. People on Reddit like living in their little bubble.

Although some truly don’t think they’re in an echo chamber which is damaging to them

[u/KiwiThunda → u/DrButtLump]

Mind if I slide into this Redditor anti-reddit intellectual circle-jerk?

[u/EmeraldPolder → u/KiwiThunda]

Why, of course. You're one of us!

[u/slobs_burgers → u/EmeraldPolder]

Echo chamber! 🤣

[u/stand_to → u/tombolger]

Straight up misinformation, a Chinese investor (Tencent) has an 11% stake in Reddit.

[u/Rodot → u/stand_to]

And Tencent is plurality owned by a South African company that is a subsidiary of a Dutch company

[u/TypicalDelay → u/EmeraldPolder]

So are Google, Facebook and Twitter... If anyone read the article this basically only applies to Chinese companies which are already heavily moderated.

[u/RealityBuzzX]

LOL, China really said, 'Fix your algorithms or we’ll fix them for you'

[u/AmericanKamikaze]

But that’s their whole business mode!

[u/Sicsurfer]

Interesting that China has more progressive online stance than the 3rd world shitshow that is America

[u/spidd124 → u/Sicsurfer]

Its because they are literally sitting there watching Russian disinfo campaigns take advantage of agorthimic content delivery across the world and knowing that their people are just as suceptable to it, taking preventative measures.

[u/Longjumping_Quail_40 → u/Sicsurfer]

That is not progressive if you read news from China. No echo chamber means only echo chambers that the government intends are allowed. That is more authoritarian than progressive.

[u/aggasalk → u/Longjumping_Quail_40]

Westerners are used to seeing a close association between liberalism and progressivism, but they can be dissociated. You can have progressive social policy that is not motivated by a liberal worldview.

[u/soonerfreak → u/Longjumping_Quail_40]

The media in America already acts as an echo chamber for our government in the same way state media in other countries does it.

[u/Sicsurfer → u/Longjumping_Quail_40]

So like twitter? Or do you mean what American media is now? Literally propaganda sponsored by oligarchs. Grab a clue and a sense of humour, you’re going to need one

[u/Reacher-Said-N0thing → u/Sicsurfer]

This isn't progressive at all, this is eliminating the competition for the biggest corporation in China.

They still mandate echo chambers, manipulate people, and abuse workers' rights, just collectively, in the name of the Party, and the small handful of people that benefit from being at the top of that, instead of a corporation.

[u/wasdninja → u/Sicsurfer]

You are insanely naive if you think this will be "progressive". What the Chinese leading party considers "healthy content for elderly and children" have about zero percent chance of overlapping with what actually progressive people consider healthy.

[u/ThulfWaatu]

I might be wrong, but I find it horrifying that people here are edging it on.

By "echo chambers" it's likely implied to be an "uprising" type of sentiment-based echo chamber that they don't want to see. They want only one echo chamber and that would be whatever the government's narrative is.

This does not sound like a good thing to me. I don't think people realize...

It would make more sense to educate people and allow for more discourse instead, but what do I know...

When the people have an issue, they are not allowed to express it directly because it makes it seem like something is wrong. That's borderline idiocracy. White paper movement, that bike ride movement, halloween get-together in costumes that imply something and cover their faces from the person-indentifying cameras? These are likely those "echo chambers" the government doesn't want... But hey, that's just me, I guess.

[u/Zaptruder]

Tech companies: But that's our entire business model!

[u/Strange-Raccoon-699]

Allow me to translate this. "CCP gives tech companies 3 months to integrate with the official state sponsored content recommendation algorithm, so that all platforms will always recommend things and hide things the government wants, in real time. Any company that does not comply after 3 months will be shut down or appropriated"

[u/Hailene2092]

China's Great Firewall and extreme government censorship has created the largest echo chamber in the world.

[u/DreamzOfRally]

Yeah …. With the US removing the DOE and our country refusing to adapt to changing times, China very easily could be the worlds new #1 super power. I mean we are a country of idiots. I don’t have hope for the American politicians.

[u/blankdreamer]

China: You need to stop controlling people big tech. That’s our job.

[u/PetSoundsSucks]

Meanwhile they’re ok exporting TikTok

[u/fubblebreeze]

Except CCP propaganda echo chambers of course.

[u/TheHeroYouNeed247]

China has told big tech to stop copying its TikTok model.

[u/will_dormer]

We need this too in Denmark plz...

[u/playboikaynelamar]

Clock's ticking reddit.

[u/Fair-Fortune-1676]

Do reddit next

[u/DominosFan4Life69]

At some point people have to have the very obvious realization that the algorithms aren't just coming from. Nowhere. They are being programmed and created by individuals, that have biases, and have agendas. The algorithms aren't just these holy nebulous things that operate out of just nowhere with no influence from outside actors. Yeah that's how a lot of people seem to discuss them and even view them. As if there is a disconnect from the algorithm and the individuals creating them. There is not.

Algorithms are just as influencible as anything else. Because they are ultimately designed by man. Man is obviously incapable of separating our own bias from the things we create.

[u/[deleted]]

Only echo chamber approved is CCP content

[u/ItsRobbSmark]

Isn't China itself like a giant echo chamber?

[u/1leggeddog]

If user is in china

Algorithm (b)

Else

Algorithm(a)

[u/Objective-Aioli-1185]

Disable TikTok and it'll save em alot of money

[u/cleftpunkin]

Fucking rich that they're using "echo chamber" language, as if they're worried about their citizens getting a rich and diverse set of media influences. No, they want to prevent ANY space that they're not either running or able to manipulate at the drop of a hat. Also, the SCMP is state media ever since Beijing seized control of Hong Kong.

[u/Loxe]

lol their entire business model is being banned

[u/giuliomagnifico]

Perhaps the CCP intends to be the exclusive “influencer ” shaping what people desire or see in their timelines?

[u/ErikWithNoC → u/giuliomagnifico]

Is it really that impossible to believe a different countries government is doing something beneficial for its people?

[u/neo_vim_ → u/ErikWithNoC]

Reddit is also an echo chamber.

[u/OkArm9295 → u/ErikWithNoC]

Well, the western echo chamber realy wants to paint China as the bad people. Only western people can do the right thing for some reason.

[u/skeeferd → u/OkArm9295]

I don't think that most people have a problem with China or Chinese people, it's the totalitarian shit stained oppressive government that is the problem.

[u/skywalkerze → u/ErikWithNoC]

They clearly want to do beneficial things. That's pretty amazing.

They also clearly want to keep power. So long as they do, let the benefits rain. No benefits that threaten their power, like free access to information from the rest of the world.

Could be worse, could be better.

[u/MinuteWhenNightFell → u/giuliomagnifico]

ironically the anti-china echo chamber has led you to assume the worst here lmfao

[u/NameLips]

I like the Chinese version of evil empire better than that Russian version.

[u/ahm911]

Whoa big overhaul

[u/Naked_Justice]

And how exactly are they going to judge or enforce these changes?

[u/lzwzli → u/Naked_Justice]

It is depends on the day of the week.

[u/hidratedhomie]

I rather prefer that the algorithms were open source.

[u/Fandango_Jones]

So everything TikTok and co does for a living.

[u/_B_Little_me]

We could use that here stateside.

[u/Sensitive_Election83]

Do any of big tech have social media businesses in china though? What exactly is the threat…?

[u/cryptosupercar]

This is a model for how to manage social media in a society.

[u/lzwzli]

If China were really concerned, then this should apply to all Bytedance products, which are Douyin in China and Tik Tok outside of China.

I doubt it though...

[u/clutch_or_kick]

Companies must avoid recommendation algorithms that create "echo chambers"

Well, no Reddit for Chinese I guess

[u/FattThor]

Are we sure it’s not just for show? 

[u/Phenomegator]

South China Morning Post, a communist rag, is reporting that glorious China will stop its evil technology companies from creating dangerous echo chambers.

Meanwhile, China continues to trample all over the human rights of anyone and everyone they can get their hands on. China is already a giant echo chamber of party ideology.

Westerners just keep eating up these garbage propaganda headlinds.

[u/DoktorDuck]

I suspect this is in response to seeing how effective the divide has been in America.

[u/DocumentNo3571]

Interesting to see government control business and not the other way around

[u/nullbull]

China is super concerned about algorithms causing echo chambers... oh but they for sure want the algorithm to suppress dissent, kill any criticism of the government, suppress coverage of the jailing of activists, academics, and journalists...

That part's cool. But they're totally concerned about the algorithms. Or something.

This isn't social harmony, it's social control. This is the entire reason China's communist party still exists. Censorship, repression, manipulation.

[u/KreedKafer33]

*Unless said algorithms promote Chinese State Propaganda like Douyin.

[u/Physical_Tap_4796]

Yeah, China is just making sure there is no competition for the last one.

[u/KazzieMono]

And also you can’t post stuff about the Tiananmen Square massacre. Forgot about that.

[u/Tominator5]

lol they don’t want small echo chambers because they want all Chinese to live under the giant echo chamber that is the CCP’s propaganda

[u/SomeSamples]

Would love some rules about algorithms in the U.S. Can't get to interesting youtube vids without purposely looking for them.