"We've seen an increase in engagement-bait on Threads and we're working to get it under control," Mosseri said on Threads in response to comments flagging the issue. This highlights the recognition by Meta that the platform is facing challenges regarding the quality of interactions and the prevalence of posts that seek to manipulate engagement through disingenuous content.
Business Insider's writer Katie Notopoulos recently reported on her experimentation with posts that aimed to intentionally infuriate people to see if it motivated users to reply, and if that could be used to abuse the Threads algorithm. The tests were "almost too successful," according to Notopoulos, which underscores the concern that users can exploit the algorithm by posting deliberately provocative content.
"Mark's comment is more about Twitter pioneering a format where the reply can be elevated, which is a good thing, but that doesn't mean that every reply should be," said Mosseri. This statement emphasizes the need for quality over quantity in user interactions on social media, hinting at the challenges of maintaining meaningful dialogue amidst widespread engagement bait.
When asked about comparisons between Threads and X in a recent Decoder interview, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg alluded that comment engagement was a fundamental aspect of a "very good discussion-oriented platform." The contrast is presented here between engaging, thoughtful discussions and the problematic nature of engagement bait that dominates Threads.
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