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1. Bob Mottram (bob@social.freedombone.net)'s status on Monday, 30-Oct-2017 17:22:20 EDT Bob Mottram
   I think there's a connection between the rise of the algorithmic timelines (Twitter's beginning at the start of 2016) and the sort of toxic brawling which is becoming increasingly commonplace there.
   
   The algorithmic stuff enables Twitter to remind the user about the latest outrageous postings "while you were away" and to crank the hate machine which keeps some users hooked "because there are people who are wrong on the internet".
   1. Michael F. Lamb (datagrok@tiny.tilde.website)'s status on Monday, 30-Oct-2017 17:42:49 EDT Michael F. Lamb

      in reply to

      @bob I recall thinking, a decade ago when I didn't hate Reddit, that the algorithm building their non-chronological list was surely implementing a random-rewards mechanism for addiction. ("Variable ratio schedule reinforcement.")

      You can't simply check later and catch up, you have to constantly refresh because there's no telling when a gem will turn up, or disappear.

      Now that I think about it, the anonymous imageboard sites where many of those types got started behave that way too.