The Refusal of Algorithmic Prescription by the Information Professionals: The Resistance around Twitter’s “Show the Best Tweets First” Feature

• In Event: Disrupting Algorithms: Innovating Work and Life in the Digital Economy - I

Abstract

In January 2016, Twitter replaced its display publishing model based on the chronological ordering of the subscriptions by the “Show the best tweets first” feature. In this new system, algorithms sort out all the contents displayed in the Twitter timeline. Certain user groups, particularly information and communication professionals, have reacted negatively to the implementation of this recommendation system. On the one hand, professionals using the platform as a monitoring and networking tool have developed their skills and expertise by relying on this sociotechnical device. On the other hand, the change in the organization of information in their news feed was imposed without clear explanations about how curation would be done from now on, thus calling into question specific skills to their profession. In this case, the work of these professionals is questioned by the Digital in two dimensions: their deskilling as information curators and the transformation of their technology and strategic watch routine (Casilli, 2019, Ertzscheid and Casilli, 2017, Jarrige, 2016). The reactions to this change imposed by Twitter highlight the tensions surrounding the platform attempts to claim expertise in the organization of information (Cardon, 2013). They also reveal the concrete struggle against “infobesity” in the daily professional use of social media. As for the arguments of the platform, the design and updating of this sociotechnical device would be related to a prescriptive framework (Hatchuel, 1995, 2000, Stenger, 2011, Akrich, 2006) where the algorithmic recommendation is the norm. The refusal of the implementation of the Twitter algorithms reveals, on the contrary, the resistance of the information and communication professionals and the stakes of power resulting from the relations between the platform and the unsatisfied expert users. This paper will present a case study of Twitter user reactions in the controversy generated by the implementation of the information organization algorithms on the platform. Publications posted on Twitter, including those from information professionals expressing their opinion on the subject, were analyzed from a communication point of view. The corpus gathers the comments published during the year following the changes, that is to say from February 2016 to February 2017.


Akrich, M. (2006). La construction d’un système sociotechnique. Esquisse pour une anthropologie des technique. Dans M. Akrich, M. Callon, et B. Latour (dir.), Sociologie de la traduction : textes fondateurs (p. 179‑200). Paris : École des mines de Paris.
Cardon, Dominique (2013). Politique des algorithmes. Les métriques du web, n° 177
Casilli, A. A. (2019, 18 février). En attendant les robots: Enquête sur le travail du clic. [En attendant les robots]. (s. l.) : Seuil.
Ertzscheid, O. et Casilli, A. (2017, 20 mai). L’appétit des géants : Pouvoir des algorithmes, ambitions des plateformes. [L’appétit des géants]. (s. l.) : C&F Editions.
Hatchuel Armand (1995), « Les marchés à prescripteurs », dans Vérin Hélène et Jacob
Hatchuel, Armand (2000), « Quel horizon pour les sciences de gestion ? Vers une théorie de l’action collective », dans David Albert, Hatchuel Armand et Laufer Romain, Les nouvelles fondations des sciences de gestion, Vuibert, pp. 7-43.
Jarrige, F. (2016, 10 mars). Technocritiques : Du refus des machines à la contestation des technosciences. [Technocritiques]. Paris : Editions La Découverte.
Stenger Thomas (2006), « La prescription dans le commerce en ligne : proposition d’un cadre conceptuel issu de la vente de vin par Internet », Revue Française du Marketing, n°209, pp. 71-85.

Authors

• Alexandre Coutant, UQAM

• Florence Millerand, Universite du Quebec a Montreal - UQAM

• Gabrielle Silva Mota Drumond, UQAM