I clicked on a 3-minute video about fixing a vacuum cleaner and ended up watching a guy build a working steam engine from scrap metal. Has anyone else had an algorithm just vanish their whole afternoon like that?
Last Wednesday I was watching a video about diesel engine repairs for my truck, and the next thing I know my feed is full of makeup tutorials and ASMR cooking. I've never looked up either of those things. My wife laughed and said the algorithm probably picked up on me watching that one video about organizing a toolbox that had a pink backdrop. Now I'm getting ads for nail polish and vegan meal kits. Has anyone else had their feed completely flip on them like this for no real reason?
I literally just wanted to learn how to not overcook a hard boiled egg after burning my hand on steam last Tuesday, but now my recommended feed is nothing but sous vide duck breast and molecular gastronomy stuff. It took me ten minutes of scrolling to find a basic scrambled eggs recipe again. Why does the algorithm think I'm suddenly a pro chef just because I looked up one beginner tip?
I was just trying to watch some workout form checks and suddenly the algorithm decided I needed to see a dude sorting paperclips by size. I mean, I sat there and watched the whole thing because it was oddly hypnotic, but what even triggered that? The day before I looked up a tutorial on fixing a wobbly chair leg, so maybe the AI thinks I'm on some kind of home repair kick now. It got worse though because after that video, my recommendations turned into a loop of extreme couponing and someone restoring a rusty shovel. I spent my entire lunch break watching a guy argue about the best way to fold a fitted sheet. Has the algorithm ever just decided you're a completely different person and thrown you into a rabbit hole you never asked for?
Last week, YouTube kept showing me those manual espresso makers for like $80. I shrugged it off but clicked one ad out of boredom. Three days later, my old press jammed up and the gasket tore, and I had no backup for my morning commute in Portland. Did the algorithm just predict my gear failure or am I giving it too much credit?
I kept getting suggested some guy restoring a beat up 1960s Eero Saarinen chair from a thrift store. Thought it was just clutter in my feed. Three weeks later I find the exact same model at a flea market in Des Moines for $40. Watched that video twice before I walked in, fixed it up in one afternoon. Anyone else have an algorithm recommendation that actually saved you money?
I used to think those native plant people were just trying to make gardening harder. Then I saw this one from a guy in Ohio who just stopped mowing his backyard for 2 years. He showed a chart of how many more moths and birds showed up just from letting weeds grow. 47 species of moths in year two compared to 5 in year one. That number hit me. Now I'm looking at my own patch of grass differently. Anyone else get pulled into something you thought you'd hate?
Last week I was scrolling through my feed and there it was, a 45 minute tutorial on pegboard layouts for a two car garage. I don't even own a garage, I live in a one bedroom apartment near downtown Austin. Three years ago I would have just skipped it, but now I wonder if the algorithm knows something about my future I don't. Has anyone else gotten weirdly specific home improvement stuff that makes zero sense for your current life?
So I spent like 3 months watching normal woodworking videos and somehow ended up with a feed full of lizard people and flat earth garbage. Took me clearing my history, watching 20 cat videos, and hitting "not interested" about 50 times before it finally calmed down. My buddy says I should have just made a new account but that feels like giving up. Anyone else fight this battle or did you just nuke your whole profile?
I was dead set on paying for a Monster cable until a random Reddit comment showed me the cheap one works exactly the same with my PS5. Has anyone else found other overpriced cables that are just scams?
I was searching for some specialty underlayment the other day and my YouTube feed goes and suggests a video about how a local asphalt plant in Tulsa runs their operation. I mean, it's not even close to what I was looking for but it was oddly fascinating. They showed the whole process from raw material to the truck dumping it on a driveway. I ended up watching the whole 20 minute thing instead of actually ordering my supplies. It's not even relevant to anything I do since we work mostly with tile and metal, not asphalt. But now I kinda want to visit that place just to see the giant mixer in action. Has anyone else had the algorithm just totally miss the mark but still show you something cool?
I was scrolling for something to fall asleep to and it recommended "The Road Builders" with a 97% match. I've never searched for roads or pavement in my life. Took me 20 minutes to figure out it's because I watched a video about concrete skateparks last month. Anyone else get weird recommendations that make zero sense based on one random watch?