escape the algorithm

Escape the Algorithm explores methods to navigate the internet beyond algorithmic control, advocating for more personal, human-centered digital experiences. It critiques platform dynamics, celebrates niche web tools, and encourages the creation of intimate, meaningful online spaces. The newsletter delves into unconventional search and discovery, personal and cultural expression through digital formats, and the reevaluation of creativity and online interaction.

Alternative Internet Navigation Digital Expression and Creativity Critique of Online Platforms Personalized Digital Spaces Redefining Online Interactions Algorithmic Resistance and Autonomy Nostalgia and Intimacy Online

The hottest Substack posts of escape the algorithm

And their main takeaways

Should this be a map or 500 maps?

279 implied HN points • 11 Jun 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Maps Creative work Expression Internet Art
  1. A story about 500 priests tasked with map-making highlights the contrast between shared protocols and individual expressiveness.
  2. The experiment's failure underlines the idea that modularity can limit expressiveness in creative work and systems.
  3. Expressiveness in design often involves a trade-off between specificity and adaptability, seen in various aspects of our designed world.

Artisinal white noise

199 implied HN points • 03 May 24
🎭️ Culture Art Technology Internet Music Creativity
  1. Social media can turn personal identity into obligation, like with Spotify Wrapped.
  2. There was a period where white noise podcasts were popular due to an algorithmic trend.
  3. There are creative acts of algorithmic resistance, like music artists and extensions that subvert norms.

Folk search engines

878 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Search Engines Algorithms Social media
  1. Consider using small, alternative search engines for more unique and diverse results.
  2. Explore unconventional search methods, even on mainstream search engines like Google, to find less algorithm-optimized content.
  3. Utilize platforms like Reddit, Facebook Groups, and Discord for searching as they offer distinct content and avoid heavy SEO tactics.

A complete guide to pretending you saw the total solar eclipse

299 implied HN points • 08 Apr 24
😂 Humor Satire Comedy Entertainment
  1. You can pretend you saw the total solar eclipse by studying up on key information and being vague about your experience.
  2. To fake that you saw the eclipse, create a fake accidental photo and edit it to make it look realistic.
  3. Keep talking about the eclipse to maintain the facade of having witnessed the event, reminding people at every opportunity.

Is Substack exaggerating its network effects?

579 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
💼 Business Tech Marketing Analytics Platforms Subscription
  1. Substack's network effects might be exaggerated: Data shows that most new subscribers come from sources other than Substack.
  2. Subscriber growth on Substack may not solely be due to Substack's technology: Many readers find newsletters due to recommendations from other writers or external sources.
  3. The power of a newsletter audience lies more in the people than the platform: Leaving Substack might not drastically impact growth as much as anticipated.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Close reading the trees

339 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Internet Travel Creativity Art Humanity
  1. Rainbolt's impressive skills in locating Google Street View images demonstrate the depth of human knowledge and expertise in navigating the world.
  2. Rainbolt's ability to identify locations in old photos and videos showcases a unique way of connecting with people and revealing the distinctiveness of the world.
  3. Rainbolt's adventures in using technology and human intelligence together present a hopeful perspective on how we can appreciate the diversity and texture of humanity despite the homogenizing effects of the internet.

Be specific

399 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Internet culture Design Programming
  1. Discover small, niche web tools and libraries that excel at specific tasks, adding personality and uniqueness to your internet experience.
  2. Embrace the simplicity and charm of single-purpose tools that focus on doing one thing well instead of trying to solve everything, celebrating their uniqueness and originality.
  3. Appreciate the creativity and value in combining and utilizing tiny tools and libraries rather than always seeking all-in-one solutions, fostering a culture of innovative use of existing resources.

The Real Divorcees of Facebook Marketplace

399 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Society Lifestyle Art
  1. Every object sold on Facebook Marketplace symbolizes a transformation in its owner's life.
  2. Posting on Facebook Marketplace can make one put a dollar value on their evolving identity.
  3. Divorce sales on Facebook Marketplace serve as a canvas for projecting a range of emotions and experiences.

The Scan Artist

279 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Creativity Social media Literature Art Internet culture
  1. The poem 'Pad' by Steven Zultanski dives into the concept of copy and repetition through a lengthy exploration of objects and capabilities
  2. The Instagram account 'everything.can.be.scanned' is part of a trend focusing on comprehensive stunts, showcasing scanned reproductions of various everyday items
  3. Artists like Kenny Goldsmith and projects like 'everything.can.be.scanned' emphasize on attention to detail and the mundane in their work

Why aren’t there more websites about love?

679 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Love Art Internet Expression Community
  1. Love can be expressed through creating websites as love letters, capturing emotions and longing in digital spaces.
  2. Personal websites allow for intimate expressions of love and the reclaiming of digital space for genuine connection.
  3. The internet's potential for expressions of love is hindered by platform constraints, detaching communication from genuine emotions.

The Doc Web

718 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🎭️ Culture Internet culture Self-Publishing Digital Platforms Community Building Expression
  1. A doc created can easily transition from a private space to a public domain with a simple click of a share button.
  2. Google Docs is more than just a word processor; it forms a unique, vast network known as the 'Doc Web' with subtle yet powerful publishing capabilities.
  3. The widespread accessibility and simplicity of Google Docs as a publishing tool can challenge traditional power dynamics and lead to unconventional forms of expression and shared knowledge.

love letters to places i'll never meet

279 implied HN points • 01 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Travel Personal Stories Community History
  1. Neighborhoods hold memories beyond just businesses; they shape our potential futures and sense of self.
  2. Reflecting on the past and what could have been helps us appreciate the present and understand the concept of love.
  3. Creating digital projects like 'love letters to places i'll never meet' can bring back memories and evoke emotions tied to lost spaces.

Back to the Corecore

299 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Generation Art Trends
  1. Reflecting on nostalgic online spaces like Myspace can evoke existential thoughts on our insignificance in the vast digital landscape.
  2. Considering the impact of AI-generated content and online manipulation leads to questioning the authenticity and purpose of online interactions.
  3. Engaging in unconventional internet navigation challenges, like exploring Instagram through tagged photos, can provide unique perspectives and experiences.

👋 New name, new course, and other news

319 implied HN points • 14 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Art Business Writing Education
  1. The newsletter changed its name from Deep Sea Diving to Escape the Algorithm to focus more on the 'why' rather than the 'how' of finding and sharing online content.
  2. The author will be teaching a course called Escape the Algorithm at Penn, delving into ideas explored in the newsletter and developing tools for web exploration.
  3. The author is now a regular contributing writer for Lens, a publication covering cultural trends, business creativity, and crafting art, which may lead to more consistent writing and paid opportunities.

Foreskin’s Comment

239 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Rituals Online Interactions Community Creativity Meaning
  1. Rituals are significant online; a user on Youtube demonstrated a unique and meaningful daily commenting ritual that garnered community engagement.
  2. Repetition in rituals builds grounding in life, from daily habits to practices that span generations, connecting to nature's rhythms and the passage of time.
  3. Rituals in online spaces like daily commenting on a video can foster community, resist typical online norms, and access a sense of the sacred through unique, repeated actions.

The web is a place where people gathered

219 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🎭️ Culture Art Community Internet Philippines
  1. Archiving personal work online helps preserve self-identity and memories over time, creating a digital record of personal growth and experiences.
  2. Engaging with web projects and maintaining online spaces can signify personal transformation and serve as a form of ritual, akin to shedding old identities and adopting new ones.
  3. Focusing on intimate, personal archives and small community connections on the internet promotes a culture of deep care, preservation, and maintenance over constant expansion and scaling.

The Email Archivist

219 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Art Reflection Digital Newsletter Creativity
  1. In 2013, Miranda July started We Think Alone, a unique newsletter where celebrities shared personal emails, prompting subscribers' introspection.
  2. Through We Think Alone, participants were encouraged to view their emails with new curiosity, marking a shift from inbox anxiety to introspective value.
  3. Email archives, though rarely revisited, hold value in preserving memories and providing moments of reflection, prompting the reconsideration of digital communication.

For WIRED: Google's relentless search for answers

179 implied HN points • 02 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Internet AI Search Engine
  1. Web crawling and search engines do not provide a comprehensive view of the internet, just like a travel itinerary may not cover all destinations
  2. Technology products can be seen as either Physicians, condensing information for quick answers, or Librarians, guiding towards deeper context and exploration
  3. Google's evolution shows a shift towards prioritizing the answer over just providing links, moving towards a more 'Physician' approach

a website is a sanctuary

519 implied HN points • 30 Aug 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Design Website Space Inspiration Community
  1. A home can be more than just a physical place; it can also exist as a digital sanctuary where visitors can dwell and explore.
  2. Naming spaces, like the Firefly Sanctuary, can give them meaning and influence how others interact with and perceive them.
  3. Websites and physical spaces can inspire each other - HTML and CSS as structures in web design can be compared to the structural aspect of living in and arranging a physical space.

A brief history of creativity (and power)

179 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🎭️ Culture History Philosophy Power Art Gender
  1. Creativity has a complex history tied to power dynamics, transitioning from divine origins to human control over time.
  2. The concept of creativity evolved alongside the shift in gender roles and power dynamics, affecting societal views on art and innovation.
  3. In modern times, creativity is intertwined with capitalist productivity, leading to value creation and power imbalances in various spheres of society.

Thinking outside "outside the box"

159 implied HN points • 30 May 23
🎭️ Culture Creativity Philosophy Social Issues Art Literature
  1. Moving past traditional definitions of creativity allows everyone to grow and flourish in unique ways.
  2. Creativity can extend to maintaining and preserving things, not just inventing or designing them.
  3. Redefining creativity as a collective effort, nurturing life, and embracing destruction can lead to diverse and impactful creative outcomes.

What Substack is hiding

359 implied HN points • 11 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. Websites often control what you see, avoiding randomness which entails relinquishing control.
  2. Using a random Substack button can lead to insights not typically visible on the platform, such as controversial content or hidden gems.
  3. The experience of exploring random Substack newsletters is like wandering into different worlds with varying vibes and content.

Going deep with Depths of Wikipedia's Annie Rauwerda

159 implied HN points • 02 Nov 22
🎭️ Culture Internet Social media Creativity Community Education
  1. Traveling, exploring, and experiencing different places can lead to unique opportunities and perspectives, like unexpectedly owning a piece of undersea internet cable.
  2. Delving into the depths of the internet, like Wikipedia, can reveal hidden treasures and interesting stories that showcase the human effort behind online platforms.
  3. The internet offers a space for diverse communities and shared interests, enabling connections, creativity, and the exchange of valuable information.

🎁 Tomorrow! How to Give a Gift workshop

139 implied HN points • 07 Dec 22
🎭️ Culture Gift Giving
  1. Come prepared with an idea of a person you'd like to gift something to.
  2. Understand what makes a good gift and how to make gift-giving creative and delightful.
  3. Learn ways to develop a framework for thinking about what makes meaningful gifts meaningful.

The day they gave us legs

159 implied HN points • 14 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Art Emotions Identity Relationships Self-discovery
  1. On the day they gave us legs, we danced and celebrated the newfound ability to walk, dance, and explore the world with legs.
  2. When they gave us hearts, we felt love and connection, cherishing moments of intimacy and shared experiences.
  3. Receiving new eyes allowed us to see the world differently, experiencing emotions deeply and realizing the power within ourselves.

Introducing the Deep Cuts podcast

79 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🎙 Podcasts Episodes Subscriptions Feedback Themes
  1. The Deep Cuts podcast is not like a typical podcast, it's more of a mixtape of episodes from unpopular shows, creating a unique listening experience.
  2. The first season of Deep Cuts focuses on the theme of 'firsts', bringing listeners to unexpected creative universes with each episode.
  3. To subscribe to Deep Cuts, you can choose your preferred podcast app or manually enter the feed URL, with Spotify currently not allowing private podcast feed subscriptions.

Turning TikTok against itself

119 implied HN points • 08 Sep 22
🎭️ Culture Social media Content consumption
  1. The author experimented with a unique approach to TikTok by training the algorithm to show videos they wouldn't like, creating an 'IckTok' account.
  2. Through this experiment, the author found that the tailored content resulted in a feed full of videos that repulsed them, revealing potential trends in TikTok's recommendation system.
  3. The experience raised questions about how our online behavior shapes the content we consume, highlighting concerns about self-perception and algorithmic judgment.

The Case for an Anti-productive AI

39 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Automation Productivity Tools Future
  1. AI tools can be utilized for anti-productive purposes like fostering connection and reflection, not just productivity.
  2. As AI technology advances, we may gain unprecedented control over tools but risk losing control of our time and responsibilities.
  3. There is potential to reclaim AI to slow down, pay attention, and deepen connections rather than solely focusing on productivity and output.

Watermark the world

59 implied HN points • 18 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Internet Ownership Privacy Ethics Data
  1. Google Street View is made up of images from various sources, including everyday people, blended together to create a seamless representation of the world.
  2. Watermarks added to Google Street View images are intentional, potentially highlighting the hidden labor behind the scans or symbolizing colonialism by claiming ownership of public spaces.
  3. Question arises: Is the act of watermarking in Google Street View a way to show presence or a form of staking a claim on territory?

The secret anti-influencers of Instagram

99 implied HN points • 11 May 21
🎭️ Culture Social media Human connection Curiosity Self-Expression Online Platforms
  1. Low-Stakes Sleuth is a fun game where friends observe strangers online, showing the strange, human aspects of people's lives.
  2. Anti-influencers on Instagram, like the_looker and the_collector, defy the platform's norms by creating unique content without seeking followers or revenue.
  3. The allure of anti-influencers lies in their mystery and the defiance of typical social media expectations, prompting curiosity and contemplation about human connection and expression online.

10 extremely expensive items on Etsy

39 implied HN points • 03 Aug 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Art Sculpture Crafts Painting Design
  1. The prices for some items on Etsy can go extremely high, ranging from unique collections to mysterious boxes
  2. The listings on Etsy include a variety of unusual and unconventional items, such as mentorship programs from witches and immersive escape room experiences
  3. There are sellers on Etsy offering unique and controversial items, like lifetime mentorship under a witch and an inflatable erotic bouncy castle

Everything Dall-e share all at once

39 implied HN points • 21 Jun 22
🎨 Art & Illustration AI Art Visual Culture
  1. Text-based image generators are becoming advanced, creating unique visual outputs from simple descriptions.
  2. Creating AI-generated images can be a mesmerizing and addictive experience, channeling thoughts into visual form effortlessly.
  3. In a world where image creation is easy and abundant, the value of art and the essence of self-expression can be questioned.

The Man Cave Up in the Sky

39 implied HN points • 03 Mar 22
🎭️ Culture Trends Social norms Gender Roles
  1. The concept of the 'man cave' is alive and well in Zillow listings, offering a nostalgic escape for many
  2. Man caves serve as a sanctuary for men to balance traditional masculine activities with vulnerability and tenderness
  3. The aspirational nature of man caves represents a longing for a future space where masculinity and domesticity can coexist harmoniously

Youtube's original sin-g

39 implied HN points • 24 Aug 21
🎶 Music Discovery YouTube Creativity Community
  1. The internet often presents a limited subset of human creativity that is tailored to algorithms for consumption.
  2. Exploring original music on platforms like YouTube through unconventional means can unearth hidden gems despite low view counts.
  3. Discovering music through personal exploration can offer a more meaningful and unique experience compared to algorithm-curated content.

Wandering through Twitter

19 implied HN points • 24 May 22
🕹 Technology Social media
  1. The essay about wandering through Twitter is also an interactive tool for exploration.
  2. Join the Deep Sea Diving on Youtube workshop for a unique experience - it's like trivia night with a twist!
  3. The workshop promises a fun time with no wrong answers, an internet scavenger hunt, and a unique escape room experience.

The New Turing Test

1 HN point • 07 Dec 23
🕹 Technology AI Artificial Intelligence Humanity Society
  1. AI is becoming increasingly sophisticated at imitating human interactions, leading to questions about authenticity and authorship.
  2. Expressiveness in content creation is essential, focusing on aspects that reflect human emotions, intentions, and unique perspectives.
  3. Evaluating content based on its humanity rather than solely on AI involvement can lead to more meaningful and engaging creations.