This is a really good example of the importance of friction as texture: an algorithm-driven interface is slippery smooth, with no natural point of interruption. It feels frictionless because it is making decisions for you. But as soon as you *want* to make your own decisions, the friction appears. - ThreadSky

spavel.bsky.social • 9 days ago

This is a really good example of the importance of friction as texture: an algorithm-driven interface is slippery smooth, with no natural point of interruption. It feels frictionless because it is making decisions for you.

But as soon as you *want* to make your own decisions, the friction appears.

Reposted from zatapatique

Slowly trying to radicalize myself against all algorithmic content now, to the point that I find the Prime Video interface (clunky mess, can't find anything, complete random memory of anything you watched previously) more trustworthy than Netflix', which basically has all the tics of a drug dealer

Comments

dr-frogbat.bsky.social•9 days ago

This is behind the big AI push. Big tech wants computers they control making our decisions. Everything is about funneling us into doing what’s profitable for them and gaining greater control. It’s also what’s behind the cloud and software as a service: they want us renting our own data from them.

smalladventures.net•8 days ago

This is absolutely true, but never thought of that maliciously. They want a reliable recurring service revenue model, because investors like that better than the ups and downs of selling you a *thing*. So, they want you to rent your entire existence as a service, which is in fact pretty evil.

spavel.bsky.social•9 days ago

Netflix wants you to keep watching (Hastings is quoted as saying that Netflix competes with *sleep*) and will prevent all interruptions. Don't know what to watch? Here you go. Show is over? Here's another show, already starting. We think you'll like it!

Prime Video doesn't know and doesn't care.

zatapatique.bsky.social•9 days ago

one of the fascinating thing of the Netflix model is that it directly affects the actual writing of stuff they put up. They are on the record saying every action/motive/emotion should be verbalised because it facilitates the experience of viewing while in the background of another task

spavel.bsky.social•9 days ago

But as soon as you want to break out of the algoritmic loop, Netflix stops being helpful. To the point where websites have to publish "secret Netflix categories" which are unlisted URLs for certain genres.

bgroovey.bsky.social•8 days ago

THIS right here is a point I don't see made enough. It's why I let go of the subscription. Millions of titles and I can only ever see 50 of them without getting a VPN? Just a wild product decision.

oligarchynow.bsky.social•9 days ago

when the UI is so frictionless that it actually turns into a slippery downward spiral

redlianak.bsky.social•9 days ago

I cannot stand any app that aggressively forces content on me. The recommendation algorithms do not predict my interests well at all

acuity.design•9 days ago

Reminded of criticisms of modern museum exhibition design. The narrative form demands your attention throughout and you must do it in the storyform they define. Old museums were vaguely formatted by room/period/artefacts. It didn’t care how you interacted or not. It was what it was.

feralrobots.bsky.social•8 days ago

another analogy: look at water flowing over a fish dam. Looks smooth, clear, almost calm. But try to walk in it & you risk getting swept over.

specwill.bsky.social•8 days ago

The appearance of friction gets weaponized, too. I've seen fake loading screens and extra pages in certain flows designed to increase sunk cost in a process. Artificial choices that all lead to the same place.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply