A social network founded by a former OpenAI employee was caught importing public posts from Mastodon...and ran AI analysis to add tags to them.

Maven, a new social network backed by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, found itself in a controversy today when it imported a huge amount of posts and profiles from the Fediverse, and then ran AI analysis to alter the content.

  • threelonmusketeersEnglish
    0•5 months ago

    I was confused on what they were trying to accomplish, and even after reading the article I am still somewhat confused.

    Instead, when a user posts something, the algorithm automatically reads the content and tags it with relevant interests so it shows up on those pages. Users can turn up the serendipity slider to branch out beyond their stated interests, and the algorithm running the platform connects users with related interests.

    Perhaps I’m a minority, but I don’t see myself getting much utility out of this. I already know what my interests are, and don’t have much interest in growing them algorithmically. If a topic is really interesting, I’ll eventually find out about it via an actual human.

    • @[email protected]English
      0•5 months ago

      Yeah, we’re trying to get the fuck away from algorithms. That’s what makes the fediverse such a big draw currently, for me.

      • FaceDeer
        0•5 months ago

        You’re on slrpnk.net, I assume it’s not implementing any of this stuff. As long as you don’t sign up for Maven I don’t see how this is going to affect you.

        • @[email protected]English
          0•5 months ago

          I mean yeah, maybe it won’t affect me directly, I like the instance I’m on and it’s a pretty respectable one. However, indirectly, this is very relevant to any Fediverse user, regardless of the instance or platform they’re using. Allowing abuses like this to happen without any pushback is a surefire way of turning this place into a shithole just like the rest of the internet. I appreciate the fact that, at least for now, it’s different here.

          Also, maybe this isn’t my only homebase? Just saying.

      • ScrubblesEnglish
        0•5 months ago

        Only algorithm I need is posts I subscribe to, in descending order. That’s about it

    • @[email protected]English
      0•5 months ago

      TikTok is really popular operating on essentially the same principle. I, for one want nothing to do with that.

    • @[email protected]English
      0•5 months ago

      So you don’t ever want to learn about new things? And even if you did, you wouldn’t want those new things be efficiently suggested to you and instead be bundled with a bunch of other boring crap?

      Also, what you’re asking for is what the tool seems to do. You would put the slider all the way to one side to avoid having new stuff suggested. Existing social media platforms often just shove stuff at you endlessly.

    • @[email protected]English
      0•5 months ago

      Instead, when a user posts something, the algorithm automatically reads the content and tags it with relevant interests so it shows up on those pages.

      Motherfucker this is what hashtags are for.