Newsfeed Simulation (15-20 min)
Today we are going to run through a simulation of interacting with posts in Facebook’s newsfeed. The idea here is to consider Tufekci’s points about how algorithms can function almost like a newspaper editor, but it “edits” what we see on an individual basis (in a far more complex way than this simulation details). After running through the simulation and an attempt to revise the code according to a new scoring system, I want to return to a larger question for public writing: how do we write for such environments? How do we write to our human audience AS WELL AS our algorithmic audience? What matters? What do we need to take into consideration?
On the handout for running through the newsfeed simulation activities there are instructions for how to access the simulation and to start running it. We will walk through each step together, working through it individually. We will begin at the GitHub repository.
Discuss results with partner(s) (10 min)
See handout for guidance. How do you think this program interprets your choices? I’ll go through more specifics on this after the next activity.
Who are you (to social media companies)? (5-10 min)
Who are you to your social media accounts? Take 2 minutes (I will time you) and scroll through a feed of one of your accounts. What patterns emerge? Anything expected? Surprising? How do you think these accounts interpret your choices? Discuss with partner(s). See handout for more detail.
Make a new system and revise the program (30 min)
Let me go through, generally, how this program works and how you can alter it. Click link in previous sentence to have PowerPoint for your group’s reference.
With your partner (or more), look at the handout that displays all of the posts that can be seen in this simulation. Develop a new system, according to three tiers of scoring, that will look at choices made by a user and assign new posts based on those choices. What are some possibilities here?
Try it out! Follow instructions on handout and refer back to notes in code and PowerPoint for tips on how to revise. Make sure you test it out. What did you do and how did it go?
Blog posts (10 min)
Considering Tufekci’s piece, blog writing/reading, and the activity today, let’s return to the following question:
As composers of public writing how do we write to an “algorithm” just as much as we might write to a human audience? What do we need to keep in mind? What’s important? What isn’t?
From Anv61, but saw these points across several posts:
Transparency: “if we are not given any other options, how are we to determine what is truly the best [for us]?”
What kinds of audiences are possible?: “I do not want my page to be promoted to only those who had been ‘shopping’ for my topic”
Apply it to your campaigns (15-20 min)
With your campaign groups, pick one of your pieces so far or one you are working on and consider two things: 1. Erin’s presentation on social media writing and, 2. Today’s exercise about writing in the context of social media newsfeeds. Revise aspects of the campaign piece and develop a social media post that would share that piece on Facebook, Twitter, or something else.
Let’s hear what you worked on.
Break (15 min)
Peer Response on Campaign Piece 2 (20-30 min)
As you review your partner’s piece, respond to these questions to help your partner think about how some contextual information and genre conventions for their piece might need some more development: Does it stand on its own? If you were to encounter this piece as a stranger, what would you make of it? What is it missing that would draw your eye to keep reading and keep it on your mind, what is memorable about it? Additionally, as always, please have comments ready in regard to what excited you, surprised you, what you think might need more development or work in revision.
Check-in: Campaign Plan, Pedagogical Object (15 min)
Work with groups on these projects. Let me know if you have questions.
Admin. (5-15 min)
4/3: pedagogical object proposal due
4/3: informal presentation on campaign plan
4/10: final campaign plan due
4/17: informal presentation on pedagogical object
4/17: informal report on writing to a public
4/24: Revision of letter into a campaign piece largely reliant on alphabetic or alphanumeric writing
4/24: Revision of campaign piece one or two
4/24: Pedagogical object
4/24: Brief reflection on revisions, course, group work
–Informal work/lower-stakes work
—Major work/higher-stakes work
Start thinking about revisions for letter and campaign piece: What will letter be? What campaign piece are you most passionate about? Will talk more about this when it is officially April.