Many apps have inbox management tools, like [snooze, leave unread, reply, archive] in email, or [schedule, sort, complete] in task managers. What "newsfeed management" tools could be given to users to enable them to make a never-ending stream of information personally valuable?
For people interested in applying BeSci to product design, this falls into a class of questions about Choice Architecture.
One question you could use to answer this: what are the user’s possible options in response to each card of information to train the algorithm favorably?
One question you could use to answer this: what are the user’s possible options in response to each card of information to train the algorithm favorably?
I’m loosely defining inbox management as how you handle a finite list of items to be process, and newsfeed management as how you handle an infinite list of items that can never be fully processed. I’ll expand on my thoughts on newsfeed management here but I want to hear yours too
I think LinkedIn is actually the best at this right now of major social media sites if you know to use it. Here Carson liked a post by a page. I can elect to unfollow either entirely, or just see less posts like it (and therefore, less from Carson or Love What Matters). 
Obviously, you can like or comment on a post to signal to the algorithm that you want to see more like it. However, those send a social signal to the other person. Saving content privately should also be a strong indicator that I like that content.
Twitter allows users to mute keywords. This is incredibly helpful for newsfeed management! I’ve even been able to turn off retweets that aren’t QTs (h/t @jhooks)
Unfortunately, in response to most tweet, I can’t say “see less like this” through any of my choices. It’s either mute, block, or unfollow. Those are far too strong for me and aren’t reflective of my actual preference to simply see less of it.
One problem with newsfeed management, even when options are good, is that they are hidden. Positive reinforcement (likes/comments) are choices you have at first glance. Negative reinforcement is hidden behind those three dots. I want to simply tell the algo what I want less of.
The problem isn’t just that people don’t have adequate options to manage their newsfeeds. Even when available, they often aren’t used.
What if the choice was made explicit with each info card in the stream? Would this prompt people to be more intentional about newsfeed mgmt?
What if the choice was made explicit with each info card in the stream? Would this prompt people to be more intentional about newsfeed mgmt?
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