Are algorithms shaping what you believe? Or are you shaping the algorithm? In this episode of Shimmy Says, Alan Shimel breaks down algorithmic influence, bot amplification, and the growing power of engagement-driven social media feeds. From reporting on automated accounts boosting political messaging to broader research on computational propaganda, the real issue isn’t left versus right. It’s humans versus systems engineered for engagement at any cost. Are bots manufacturing consensus? Are feeds optimizing outrage over accuracy? What happens when machine optimization outweighs human judgment? This isn’t hype. It’s architecture. Watch now and decide for yourself: Who’s really in control — you or the feed?
Up Next in Season 1
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Do AI Agents Need Intelligence to Do ...
Do AI agents actually need to be intelligent? Or do they just need to get the job done? We’ve spent months arguing about whether AI truly “understands” anything. Whether it has a mind. Whether it’s just autocomplete dressed up in confidence. Meanwhile, inside real companies, AI agents are draftin...
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Blaming the Internet Is Like Blaming ...
🪞 Blaming the internet for what’s wrong with society is like blaming the mirror because you don’t like what you see. Platforms optimize for engagement. Engagement rewards outrage. Incentives drift toward shareholders. Cory Doctorow calls it enshittification. The uncomfortable truth is this. The i...
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AI and the Scarlet Letter | Shimmy Sa...
This week on Shimmy Says, we’re talking about the scarlet letter we’ve stamped on AI-generated work. The funny part? It has almost nothing to do with quality and everything to do with fear. What that hesitation means for DevOps teams, engineering culture, and how work gets done is at the center o...
