I think that all Reels should have the Capybara song in the background.
Capybara. Capybara capybara capybara capybara capybara. Capybara!
I am one that refuses to watch them. I can’t figure how watching them helps FB, but it must, so I won’t.
I find it really annoying that you as a user can’t block them. I AM NOT INTERESTED, FB!
Since i don;t do much on FB, its algorithm defaults to “male” so they used to be all scantiy clad buxom females (and all the “people you may know” were obvious Russian sex workers.). But, to my shame, I did watch one with a model railroad. now EVERY REEL is about model trains. Stupid algorithm!
Just like with youtube, if you want to watch something without it affecting what it shows you, use a private window.
I click on Reels where people grind vases made of colored pencils and plastic, or pour aluminum into sand molds. Then that’s what I get, not buxom anyone. An occasional click keeps these choices active and drastically decreases the stupid and offensive ones in my feed. I may switch to just clicking maps of Gondwana and Pangaea.
My understanding is that FB makes money through the ads that appear on Reels. And, if they can get people accustomed to scrolling through Reel after Reel, that’s more ads, and more money.
I hate Facebook reels. The ones I see seem to be mostly a mix of clickbaity stories, stuff I’m not interested in, gross stuff, and AI crap.
My friend said there’s an app called WallHabit that can help with that, though I haven’t checked it out.
The Reels I see are home fixit tips, Amazon products I supposedly can’t live without, and cute cats. I feel like I’m missing one - I’m sure FB will remind me.
Interesting. I just did briefly. It says it’s designed to help you break time-wasting habits by putting distractions behind a wall that you have to solve a challenge to unlock. You choose the distractions you want to block. It says it can block Reels (among other things) by putting them behind this wall. I’m going to dig further, this could be very useful.
edited to add: rats, it’s for Android phones, not for computers. Makes sense, there’s where the action is, but it doesn’t do me any good.
You guys getting hot chix and clickbait…the algorithm is telling on you!
For some reason FB decided I like cake decorating, furniture restoration and extreme hair makeovers. I finally started clicking on them and that’s all I get.
I think it’s kind of funny, as I have no real interest in those things, but they are interesting videos to watch. Facebook is mighty pleased with itself.
I definitely avoided them for a long time and am kind of horrified at myself for watching them but it could be worse, I guess.
FB algorithm is on drugs. It spent three months convinced that I really wanted to see vintage Beetle Bailey comic strips. Also, there’s a weirdly high number of groups out there feeding them to people.
Worse was a week ago when I fired up my Meta Oculus VR thingie for the first time in forever. It suggested a few people I should connect with. Most were people from my friends list and one was a young woman I didn’t recognize. I sort of thought I knew the last name from an out-of-state friend and assumed he had given his daughter the device. But I looked and, no, wrong name and this was just some high school girl two towns over with no shared friends and no connection to me at all. Pretty sure she doesn’t need some rando middle-aged guy hitting her up to play Beat Saber with me.
My main problem with reels is the choice of volume settings: either LOUD or 
.
Lately Facebook’s algorithm has been recommending posts from a group called the Dull Men’s Club. I’m not sure if I should feel insulted by that.
As for Facebook Reels, mine are mostly videos of trains and classic cars.
Dull Men’s Club is a good companion to SDMB. I enjoy most of the posts.
Facebook decided I need more dachshund, golden retriever, baby and Graham Norton clips. I’m not complaining. For some reason it also wants me to watch Grey’s Anatomy clips.
I get cats, capyberas, TV bloopers, things being crushed in a hydrolic press, things being burned by a red-hot copper ball…
I’m not complaining.
Take out the capybaras and substitute “Friends” clips, and that’s what I get. I also occasionally get QI and some British talk show.
It introduced me to Lateral, so I’m happy
One thing I just noticed is, you can’t hover over them to see what they are about. Not even a title. Nor even how long they are.
I fond that to be another negative.
Today I was reminded me of the OTHER option Facebook gives me for Reels: Reddit glurge cropped so you have to click it to find out the shocking twist.
My sister was getting married to a guy we all hated. At the wedding, when the priest asked for objections, my mother stood up. That’s when my sister got a cruel look and said…
No, I’m not going to click on that to see the rest of the made-up clickbait story. At least the Pretty Girl Reels put a pretty girl on my screen as I scroll past.
There is a guy on social media named timesaver9000 who watches long clickbaity videos and gives a one or two sentence recap so you don’t have to watch. Good gimmick.
I used to get a lot of clips of British panel shows. Now I don’t. No idea what changed.