That algorithm on Facebook is feeding people the wrong emergency info

I volunteer with a local CERT team in Columbus and last week I saw a post go viral telling people to put baking soda on a grease fire. That's wrong and dangerous, you use a lid or a fire extinguisher. The algorithm just pushes what gets engagement, not what's correct. Has anyone else seen similar bad advice spread because of how these platforms rank content?

3 comments

3 Comments

luna_wright1mo ago

Oh man, that baking soda thing is terrifying. I saw a video last week telling people to throw flour on a grease fire and it had like 2 million views. Did you notice if these dangerous posts ever actually get flagged or removed after enough people report them, or does the algorithm just keep pushing them because the engagement numbers are too high?

kimr741mo ago

I actually reported one of those flour videos about three months ago. It was showing someone dumping a whole bag of all-purpose flour onto a grease fire, and the comments were full of people saying they were gonna try it. I hit report, marked it as dangerous, and got the usual "thanks for your report" email. Then I checked back a week later and it was still up with almost 4 million views. The engagement numbers were through the roof because people were arguing in the comments, and that's exactly what the algorithm wants. I think platforms do remove some stuff eventually, but only after it goes viral and makes headlines or someone gets hurt. By then the damage is done and a million people have already seen it.

corablack1mo ago

Saw a guy once try to put out a campfire with gasoline. Darwin awards material lol.