HackerTube.dev

Manipulating the YouTube Algorithm - (Part 1/3) Smarter Every Day 213

SmarterEveryDay · 2.7M views · 2019-03-31 · 18:57

Open on YouTube ↗

If playback is restricted in your region, try opening the original video. Use Mark watched to add it to your marked videos.

Overview

Part 1 of Smarter Every Day's three-part series on manipulating the YouTube algorithm. It features Renee DiResta and examples of how social media platforms can be manipulated.

On Hacker News

Referenced in threads on social media manipulation and junk content as an interesting miniseries, though one commenter criticized its ExpressVPN ad read.

Recommended by 2 HN people across 2 months · HN mentions 2019–2021

Topics

Media, journalism & propagandaAI & data (other)Internet culture & memes
Search by tags
youtuberecommendation algorithmsmisinformationsocial mediabots

What people said

xelxebar · 2020-06 · Strong recommendation

> no wonder people don’t believe in global warming, these “experts” prioritize politics over everything I read this as a clear expression of your frustration. Completely reasonable given the situation. Are you familiar with the YouTube channel "Smarter Every Day"? There's this three-part series that might offer a new perspective on the distrust and disillusionment you seem to be feeling: [1]: [VIDEO] [2]: [LINK] [3]: [LINK] In particular, the channel creator Destin Sandlin explores how YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook are being used as a sort of vanguard in a meta-game to undermine our trust in the social institutions we rely on. It's a pretty dystopian-sounding and bleak theme. However, Destin is really good at conveying a message of hope. Use your Critical Mind, of course, but also realize that there's a personal cost to adopting absolutist views like `"experts" prioritize politics over everything.'

Read the original HN comment ↗
Aunche · 2019-11 · Recommendation

> I am just trying to point out how we're quick to flip out about Facebook ads bought in Rubles, yet when it comes to Chinese troll artistry we are completely silent meanwhile Russia is a declining power and China is a mercantilist adversary. You don't have to worried about things that are "obviously propaganda." If you even mention a nuanced take on what the CCP is doing in Xinjiang, you'll instantly get downvoted to oblivion (like this comment) and branded a shill, so the same would happen to legitimate disinformation. The Russian propaganda used in the US was designed to create more divides in order to weaken democracy. For example, an fake advertisement may advocate to "teach the controversy" of evolution in a blue state to encourage atheists to be hostile to Christians and vice versa. Smarter every day has an interesting miniseries about this: [VIDEO]

Read the original HN comment ↗
takeda · 2021-06 · Reference

I don't know it's actually youtube that does it. It's actually known that you can just buy an influence by purchasing access to bot accounts[1]. This happens on YT, Twitter, FB and other places, and it isn't just likes/dislikes but also comments. [1] [VIDEO] ha he has more videos about that

Read the original HN comment ↗

Sources

Video by SmarterEveryDay, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

HN summaries and labels may contain AI errors. HN dates refer to discussions, not video publication.

HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

Views, duration and playback status refresh separately from the published catalog. When an update fails, existing data remains visible.

Selection checks
  • SaaS & AI candidates: Topic keywords do not match
  • Editor-approved picks: Editorial review is required

Rule matches identify candidates. They do not guarantee video quality or financial results.

About the library and its sources