Even if the slop creators go back to Tiktok, Xiaohongshu is a much better experience. Within a day its algorithm started feeding me pretty much nothing but naturalists excited about plants and camping/hiking. Like Hexbear removing all of reddit's gamification elements, that's so much closer to authentic social media. I get much more value comparing native botany with someone in Yunnan than I do from endlessly scrolling a slopified stream of western social media equivalents.

[–] Parsani@hexbear.net 58 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yea, xhs is better than tiktok. Idk why, but I think it is partially because there is no capacity for Americans to make money directly from the app rn. There are more restrictions on that stuff in China anyway, but no way to get paid without a Chinese ID.

Pretty sure you can still do product placement and shit, but I think youd get banned if you aren't doing it as required.

I don't mind the algo though. It didn't take long to push it in a certain direction. I imagine I'll stop using it soon though, because at the end of the day it's still just easily palatable slop. Cool seeing the books Chinese nerds are reading though. I'll likely keep coming back for that lol.

[–] stink@lemmygrad.ml 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I like how you can modify your algorithm, I can't read it for **** yet but it's cool that it's there!

[–] miz@hexbear.net 10 points 2 weeks ago

yet

this is the kind of growth mindset that I admire

[–] Gucci_Minh@hexbear.net 44 points 2 weeks ago

All I'm getting is communist music, PLA hardbass edits, cosplayers, and occasionally "American friends, is this just propaganda or do you actually have to [pay for ambulances, eat raw unseasoned broccoli for lunch, die in school shootings every week]"

So I guess it's working pretty well

[–] lil_tank@hexbear.net 43 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

My feed is full of muscular Chinese women cri

[–] Evilphd666@hexbear.net 18 points 2 weeks ago

Kung Fu Hustler kelly

[–] mar_k@hexbear.net 40 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

yeah the algorithm is infinitely easier to sway. interacting with content and hitting the "not interested" button feels like it works 50x more efficient than tiktok.

also haven't seen any ads, or promotional videos that pretend to not be ads. no hearing the same dozen trending audios over and over and over. the memes are funnier, the creative stuff is more creative, the content is more original, and the people are less toxic. + photos in comments. all around a much better experience

[–] Parsani@hexbear.net 21 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

also haven't seen any ads, or promotional videos that pretend to not be ads.

If you see anything which is using a specific product, it is likely an ad. The app has a shop built in, so that poster making tea content is actually selling you tea.

I've seen tons of these

[–] mar_k@hexbear.net 11 points 2 weeks ago

i'm sure i saw product placement at some point but i'm scrolling through a hundred videos rn and not seeing a single one. and the shop's hidden whereas tiktok throws it in your face and gives you promo popups

[–] quarrk@hexbear.net 15 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

TikTok has the same “not interested” feature. I think xhs works about the same, just more aggressive. It’s actually a little annoying that I watch one video of coffee or something, then I get like a dozen more after thay; then, it takes a while for the algorithm to show me wildcard content to add to the mix. This might just be an early-algorithm issue though.

[–] spectre@hexbear.net 1 points 2 weeks ago

It has a sort of "decay" for a topic and will show less if you ignore it a little.

[–] sewer_rat_420@hexbear.net 9 points 2 weeks ago

I agree. Im keeping it on my phone and scrolling it still. Ill stick around tiktok but it is already worse than it was (my feed is 50% ads) and will inevitably become worse