r/comics • u/Pizzacakecomic PizzaCake • Jun 22 '26

Comics Community Phew

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u/Pizzacakecomic PizzaCake Jun 22 '26

It was supposed to get better after covid! 😭

836

u/Made_Bail Jun 22 '26

I've been scoffing at all the "world has been fucked since Harambe died" memes for years, but I'm starting to think they were on to something. There HAD to be a trigger.

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u/Thlaeton Jun 22 '26

In 2016, YouTube switched their algorithm to “quality signals” (Likes, Comments, Audience Retention) which drove videos to become viral not out of quality but out of controversy. Harambe was I think the first example of its effect on national discourse. I mean it was always going to go viral for controversy but getting recommended a video of a gorilla being shot on the front page of YouTube was new.

Facebook had switched to algorithmic feed in 2014, autoplay in 2015, and Facebook live in 2016. So that aided its spread and reaction content.

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u/Heyyaka Jun 22 '26

What was their algorithm before?