🤔 Apple Podcast algorithms

I went on a long road trip recently and I was bored so I brought up the Apple Podcasts default app. I was only subscribed to one or two shows I'd already listened to, so I popped over to the Browse tab to see what it offered from the millions of options out there.

The first few episodes were from the New York Times' Daily podcast, then there were some other popular comedy podcasts and on the second screen full of options, there's Ben Shapiro. He showed up again in the list just below the screenshot.

I notice these things because it's shocking how quickly some networks push you down a hard right wing path, YouTube most famously of all, but I also see it when logged out of TikTok completely. If I load any random TikTok video someone sent me in a new private browser window, the "other" videos are often a mix of cute pets or popular dances or whatever, but then there will be some incredibly far right stuff in the top 6 browsable options.

I never thought I'd see that kind of thing from Apple though.