If you have been on Facebook over the last few weeks, you will likely have come across the social network's 'Your Year in Review' app. It highlights some of users' biggest moments of the year, which can then be shared with friends.
The app uses an algorithm to customise the posts - based on likes, comments and interactions from friends. However, while the intention is clearly to highlight some good memories of the year for users, some have been reminded of not so pleasant moments.
Some of the potential concerns with the app were articulated by web design consultant and writer Eric Meyer, who explained in a blog post how his 'review' prominently featured a picture of his daughter who died during the year, with a tagline stating 'Eric, here's what your year looked like!'.
As Eric wrote, "this inadvertent algorithmic cruelty is the result of code that works in the overwhelming majority of cases, reminding people of the awesomeness of their years, showing them selfies at a party or whale spouts from sailing boats or the marina outside their vacation house. But for those of us who lived through the death of loved ones, or spent extended time in the hospital, or were hit by divorce or losing a job or any one of a hundred crises, we might not want another look at this past year."
Eric offered two suggested improvements, saying "first, don’t pre-fill a picture until you’re sure the user actually wants to see pictures from their year. And second, instead of pushing the app at people, maybe ask them if they’d like to try a preview—just a simple yes or no. If they say no, ask if they want to be asked again later, or never again."
There have been reports on Twitter and other social networks of other people whose reviews have prominently featured sad memories:
So my (beloved!) ex-boyfriend's apartment caught fire this year, which was very sad, but Facebook made it worth it. pic.twitter.com/AvU8ifazXa
— Julieanne Smolinski (@BoobsRadley) December 29, 2014
Responding to a Washington Post article on Meyer's blog post, the app's product manager Jonathan Gheller offered an apology, explaining "clearly in this case we brought him grief rather than joy".
Gheller says the team will take the concerns into account and consider possible improvements to the app in the future. "It's valuable feedback. We can do better - I'm very grateful he took the time in his grief to write the blog post," he added.
Eric Meyer, meanwhile, has written another post in which he says "I am very sorry that I dropped the Internet on [Gheller's] head for Christmas. He and his team didn’t deserve it."
He says his post was intended to highlight potential issues with algorithm design, saying "this happens all the time, all over the web, in every imaginable context.
"It will take time, practice, and a whole lot of stumbling to figure out how to do better, but it is, I submit, vitally important that we do," he concludes.
