According to incomplete statistics, as of March 15, apps such as Douyin, Today's Toutiao, WeChat, Taobao, Baidu, Dianping, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu have all launched algorithmic shutdown keys, allowing users to close "personalized recommendations" in the background.
On the occasion of the International Consumer Rights Day on March 15, it is gratifying that personal privacy protection has taken a big step forward and consumer rights and interests have been protected.
In January this year, the Provisions on the Administration of Algorithm Recommendation of Internet Information Service were promulgated, clarifying that algorithm recommendation service providers should inform users of their provision of algorithm recommendation services in a conspicuous manner; provide users with options that are not tailored to their personal characteristics, or provide users with convenient options to turn off algorithm recommendation services. The regulations will take effect from March 1, and app users will not want to change it.
Personalized recommendations help improve the user experience. Whether users like critters, food or beauty, they don't have to search for resources everywhere, and the algorithm will continue to recommend. The less rosy side is that the algorithm knows the user very well, but the user knows almost nothing about the algorithm; the algorithm is powerful enough to control the user's eyes, and even implements "big data killing" based on the algorithm, but the user can hardly do anything about it.
The algorithm switch gives consumers the right to choose, and consumers' right to know should be further protected. In this regard, apps such as WeChat and Dianping have listed a "personal information collection list" to tell consumers what information they have collected and how to use it. This clear notification needs to be the consensus of the industry.
If it is trusted by consumers, enterprises can continue to optimize algorithms, recommend upward-looking content, and enhance user stickiness; if consumers choose to close, enterprises can also use other ways to improve the consumer experience, but pay attention not to deliberately provide outdated, low-quality information to force consumers to open the algorithm, essentially infringing on consumers' right to choose.
In short, the consumer's mind can be guessed, but the guessing enterprise must be legal and compliant, and the guessed user must be willing.