Anyone finding New Recommended For You feature useless?

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited May 2020

    Thank you MODS for the team "meeting" to discuss this issue together.

  • JACK5IE
    JACK5IE Member Posts: 760
    edited May 2020

    While the team is talking, talk about a quote button and a like button.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited May 2020

    Sorry - I don't want a LIKE button. I don't participate in Facebook and appreciate that this at least looks a little different.

  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited May 2020

    A like button is just another method of tracking and profiling!!!

  • JACK5IE
    JACK5IE Member Posts: 760
    edited May 2020

    OK I'll take just a quote button then.

  • magiclight
    magiclight Member Posts: 8,690
    edited August 2020

    Have I missed something re: tracking and profiling? Who does BCO sell/share/make money from our information?

  • edj3
    edj3 Member Posts: 2,076
    edited May 2020

    The ads are almost certainly targeted.

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2020

    Hi All, You'll see we moved the recommendation module to the bottom of the Active Topics page based on your feedback. We're continuing to address other concerns and make improvements. Thanks, the BCO Team

  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited May 2020

    Thank you, the end of the page is much much better

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited May 2020

    Here's whats too bad about this whole issue.

    I used to spend a fair amount of time every week trying to "pay it forward" on the active threads. At least I tried to identify issues that I might know something about and post a response. Now I really don't bother to even check the active threads. It's a shame, but I don't want to play games with issues that may or may not be relevant.

  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited May 2020

    You know, I've been on this board for 11 years and something is just missing. I don't know what it is but it is very disappointing. It's like the 'life' is gone.

  • Sadiesservant
    Sadiesservant Member Posts: 1,995
    edited May 2020

    Funny you should say that Cowgirl. I’ve only been on for 3 1/2 years but have felt much the same way for the last few months. That’s why I thought they had reduced the length of time conversations are active. It seems weird having only three pages of conversations day after day.

  • Traveltext
    Traveltext Member Posts: 2,089
    edited May 2020

    Mods. Down the bottom is definitely less intrusive.

    Cowgirl, I agree. The main problem is that site traffic has fallen away, and this was caused, as I understand it, by Google algorithm changes a couple of years ago. Less people here equals a less dynamic forum. As well, some very popular posters have stepped back from the pages that once carried spirited debate. Of course, the biggest disrupting factor for blogs like BCO the proliferation of social media. Facebook pages such as Beyond The Pink Moon and specialist pages on disease subset like IBC are full of ex-BCO members. There’s even a FB page for guys. My favourite platform is Twitter, where I get to interact with patient advocates and medical professionals on a daily basis. Particularly pertinent is #bcsm which has a weekly meeting on different topics. I post on male bc issues and have 1,500 followers, including very many oncologists, researchers and surgeons.

    On BCO, I’ve cut back to connecting with the few people that come here for IBC and men’s breast cancer. As you say, something is missing. This is a pity, since the platform here, with its signatures packed with diagnosis and treatment details is unique, and allows us all to remember where people are at. This makes commenting more meaningful.

    Fortunately, there are still very many people here benefiting as newbies, and others who've bonded over the years and who are very happy to stay. After nearly six years, I’ll likely leave only when the people I know and love leave or pass. Unfortunately many people in the latter category aren’t with us any more.


  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited May 2020

    Yes, the new placement of the recommendation module is much better. I still don't see how it will provide benefit, particularly for newbies who would be the most important target but who have no history of posting on which to base the recommendations (and often provide limited/erroneous information in their first few posts which could lead to inappropriate recommendations)... but that's not my business.

    I agree that the board does feel very different these days. Certainly it's much less active.

    I believe the reason why activity has been down over the past few months is Covid-19. Appointments and screenings and surgeries have been cancelled, so there are fewer call-backs and fewer diagnoses. For breast cancer and all major health concerns, I believe that a huge fall-out from the global Covid-19 quarantine will be delayed diagnoses of many treatable (or in some cases, formerly treatable) diseases. But for now, there are fewer people coming here asking questions.

    That aside, over the past few years most of the long time posters that I know have left, sometimes because they just felt that it was time, but often as a result as changes to the board or disputes on the board. Others old-timers are still here but have been restricting their activity to the social threads and no longer offer advice to those concerned and those who are newly diagnosed. What I've noticed is that recently when someone posts a question that in the past would have generated a lot of response and discussion, these days there are one or two answers, little if any discussion, and then the thread fades away. That's the unfortunate result of so many people leaving or choosing to no longer post on the screening and diagnosis threads.

  • Cowgirl13
    Cowgirl13 Member Posts: 1,936
    edited June 2020

    Traveltext and Beesie, your commments are very helpful. Thank you.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2020

    Mods: I'm seeing more & more posts in the active forum like this one below. It can only have come from your algorithm "recommends". This just points out what we have been trying to get across.

    You are recommending topics to new members or people w/o much history here and they are posting. Sometimes desperately like this lady did. How was she to know that there's likely NO ONE TO ANSWER from 2018? I really think your recommendations are doing more harm than good. I for one sure don't want to have to keep 'mopping up' and answering people who are looking for answers from "dead" threads.

    It was bad enough when you were recommending threads to seasoned members that were patently ridiculous. It's much worse for new members. And they don't know to TURN OFF the recommends. Once again - will you please consider making the recommends something people had to "opt in" instead of "opt out".

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/105/topic...

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2020

    Here's another one. 2016 thread. These recommendations are really causing havoc for the poor newbies who are hoping for an answer.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/157/topic...


  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited June 2020

    MinusTwo, thank you for your updates. Newbies aren't the only ones. If you scroll through the active topics lists before you log in, it always displays the same three irrelevant suggested threads. Totally worthless. Since BCO CEO and Board Chair have never bothered to answer our many questions, and the only thing they did was to move these unwanted suggestions to the bottom of the page, it must be some misplaced faith in their algorithms or promises to donors/commercial interests that drive them to continue. I can't imagine there have been too many clicks on irrelevant, old, misleading thread "suggestions." I avoid them, have removed most identifying information in my profile, and really limit who I respond to. If they want to continue to track and profile me, they are not going to get much new data! Many long-time members no longer stop by regularly, and the quantity of postings is way down. The way things are headed, I would be surprised how long BCO can keep alienating their members.

  • kathindc
    kathindc Member Posts: 2,042
    edited June 2020

    What I find interesting if I go to the announcement page first, there is no notice in the Announcements that you can opt out of the recommendations. I would like to not see the Can We Help Guide You Suggestions gone as well when scrolling Active Topics before before logging in. I was curious about the BETA at the bottom of the page and lo and behold at some point you're told you can opt out of them and it only shows on that page before log in.

    Re commercial interest: Looking back, I'm surprised I stayed on BCO while gaining information. Four adds for the same drug on every page, with several drugs advertised throughout the information pages, is beyond ridiculous. Any other time I've had to garner information from other web pages, I would leave in a heartbeat. I must have been desperate for the info.

  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited June 2020

    ceanna, since I often do a quick scan of the Active Topics without signing in, I too have noticed that the same 3 threads are recommended every time. I don't see them now that they are at the bottom of the page, so that's a big improvement for me, but if we are talking about the utility of the function for those who are new, these 3 topics don't give me much confidence. Since these 3 topics obviously have been pre-programmed in by someone, I wonder "What are they thinking?"

    image

    "So, what's for dinner?" Seriously?? How is this helpful for someone new and scared who comes here looking for information about breast cancer?

    "CRAZY TOWN WAITING ROOM" This is a thread within the "Growing our Friendships After Treatment" forum. It's a thread for those who have been diagnosed and who have settled in for the long haul of follow-up tests and screenings. This is not where anyone would send a newbie who may just be concerned about a symptom, or even for someone who is newly diagnosed.

    "Interpreting Your Report" Okay, this one is relevant to those who newly arrive here. But considering that this is djmammo's thread and he provides all the responses, has he agreed to have his thread pinned here?

    The pinned threads within the "Can We Help Guide You?" box on the screen when a reader has not signed in is the simplest possible application of this function. Surely BCO can do better than this.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2020

    kath - I have to say I have never seen any advertisements on BCO. Edited to say - and that's one of the things I've appreciated about BCO. But maybe it's because I have my computer set so I rarely see advertisements on any site.

  • magiclight
    magiclight Member Posts: 8,690
    edited August 2020

    The ad for FindyourMBCvoice, sponsored by Pfizer is shown on this page to the left.

  • kathindc
    kathindc Member Posts: 2,042
    edited June 2020

    I don't have that. I do have a box directing me to podcasts and when clicked to the podcasts there are four ads by Pfizer. Out of curiosity I turned the box off. When I came back, there was a new box directing me to BCO's cancer research page, again with the four ads. Would be nicer if they weren't like a slide show, something more along the line of letting the reader scroll.

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2020

    Nope - I have no ads and never see ads. Must be something my son set up on my computer for me.

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2020

    I don’t see ads either (smartphone and iPad).

  • magiclight
    magiclight Member Posts: 8,690
    edited August 2020

    Pfizer ad....This ad is on my favorites page. Are drug companies paid advertisers to BCO targeted demographic?

    image


  • Sadiesservant
    Sadiesservant Member Posts: 1,995
    edited June 2020

    Nope. No ads. Not on my iPad or my computer. How odd...

  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited June 2020

    Magiclight, I always have at least one ad on the left side of threads and have often seen the one you display. Today I have a BCO podcast ad. They are another Google ads tracking device. If you hover over the ad you will see it's another way for Google to track.

    Beesie, I have had the same three threads suggested for me ever since "recommendations" appeared (scrolling the active threads before logging in). I think I posted this before on the tech glitches thread, but they are the same as you saw. I questioned them then and, like you, question again how any of these would be helpful to someone visiting the site for the first time, who hasn't created an account, and who hasn't yet been tracked and profiled by BCO. To me, they would indicate to anyone visitor or newbie that the BCO threads were not dealing with BC issues but was just another Facebook page.

    I still think BCO is providing a disservice to anyone with fears and concerns about possible or diagnosed issues by "greeting them" with these type of old and non-essential recommendations. No algorithm will train the system to make the right recommendations, no matter how well BCO says it will work after its tracked enough people, will ever serve a new arrival, and certainly is of no use to those of us who hang around to help newbies. BCO, it's past time to pull the plug on this ineffective intrusion like you ended up having to do with the Outbrain ads you tried and had to move off the threads a few years back. Still waiting to hear from Hope Wohl and Jane Hollingsworth from BCO!

    image

  • ceanna
    ceanna Member Posts: 5,270
    edited June 2020

    MinusTwo, you say you don't see ads, but you're being advertised every time when you are the last poster in the active threads I pasted in the previous post above--for any new arrival to BCO. You posted in the "So..what's for dinner" thread at 8:01 this morning!!

  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2020

    Ceanna - I am aware that my posts are always available. I have stayed with BCO because I believe in "paying it forward". And because I have enjoyed meeting a number of people in person over the years. I try to remember that my posts are - or can be - public on the www at any time. I don't like that, but I tolerate it. On the other hand, I have never even looked at Facebook.

    However, I am talking about the fact that I don't see "advertisements" for any product, or even BCO "ads" posted to the left. Or anywhere else on this site. Not on my favorites and not on the Active selection. If I had been bombarded by ads, I would have left this site a long time ago. So again, thanks to my son for setting up my computer to comply with my wishes.

    And MODS - if you start targeting those of us who are blissfully free of advertisements - we will be most ungrateful and leave in droves.

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