Well, if you have a Netflix account, for example, or have ever used Amazon, then you know that it constantly serves up a list of suggestions based on your previous consumption decisions. Plus any times you may have explicitly 'liked' something, which as conscious, considered input is more highly valued as it's based on your explicit preference rather than an indirect inference.

It doesn't just come up with a random list of any 5 movies/series/books on the off-chance you might like them.

As I say, Medium has very specific, detailed knowledge of what people have enjoyed, interacted with, 'engaged with', as they refer to it. And every time you click on an article, it generates a specific numerical value for that 'engagement'. This is where our earnings come from: how long did they read for? Did they comment? Clap? Highlight? Follow you?

Do you feel that the generic 'For you' feed on your home page reflects those choices you have shown the platform? I've never spoken to anyone who sees them as anything other than a random and largely irrelevant jumble.

The algorithm is meant to be automating the process of curating that feed. It seems to be far from fit for purpose, by 2014 standards, let alone 2024.

And that affects us as readers and writers by failing effectively to matchmake between the two groups. Which is, as I say, its only function.