YouTube illustration.
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Yichuan Cao / Sipa USA / SIPA
Mozilla wants to shed some light on YouTube's video recommendation algorithm.
The foundation will launch an extension that will allow Internet users to report “regrettable recommendations” from the platform,
Presse-Citron
reports
.
Called “RegretsReporter”, the tool available on Firefox and Chrome will provide a better understanding of why YouTube frequently recommends controversial or criticized videos.
Recently, a user who was looking for videos on Vikings received recommendations for content extolling white supremacy, recalls
The Verge
.
Are you choosing what to watch, or is @YouTube choosing for you?
Their algorithm is responsible for over 70% of viewing time, which can include recommending harmful videos.
Help us hold them responsible.
https://t.co/afGeO5UBH9#YouTubeRegrets
- Mozilla (@mozilla) September 17, 2020
YouTube more or less cooperates
With RegretsReporter, the Internet user will be able to indicate to Mozilla the presence of strange or problematic recommendations when browsing YouTube.
The foundation has not obtained an agreement to conduct its study but assures to communicate with YouTube on the subject.
The latter undertook, for his part, to transmit the information at his disposal, while saying he was "skeptical" about this initiative.
Since 2019, Mozilla has already listed reports of Internet users regretting having clicked on certain recommended videos.
These people had "triggered a vicious circle of unwanted recommendations from which they did not know how to get out", specifies the foundation, which wants to make YouTube understand "that its recommendations must become more responsible".
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