Scott Alexander explores why readers prefer his old amateur blog layout to Substack's professional design, presenting survey data and considering various explanations for this unexpected preference. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the consistent preference of readers for his old Slate Star Codex (SSC) blog layout over the new Substack-mandated Astral Codex Ten (ACX) layout. He presents survey results and reader comments supporting this preference, despite the SSC layout being an amateur design compared to Substack's professional one. Scott explores possible explanations for this phenomenon, including selection bias, mobile optimization, WordPress vs. Substack, and the general trend towards minimalist designs in various fields. He questions why Substack's standardized layout appears to be less appealing than his old amateur design, drawing parallels to the MySpace vs. Facebook design philosophy and the concept explored in his 'Whither Tartaria?' post about the transition from complex to minimalist designs. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander analyzes an article about Facebook moderators' working conditions, drawing parallels to his experience in psychiatric hospitals and discussing the challenges of content moderation. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses a Verge article about the challenging work conditions of Facebook content moderators. He acknowledges the difficulty of their job, which involves exposure to disturbing content and adherence to complex rules. Scott draws parallels to his experience in psychiatric hospitals, noting how strict regulations often result from previous scandals or lawsuits. He critiques the article's stance, suggesting that many of the problems it highlights are consequences of attempts to address issues raised by similar investigative reports. Scott also ponders the balance between maintaining safety and creating a humane work environment, and expresses concern about the article's implications regarding the spread of conspiracy theories among moderators. Shorter summary

Scott recommends the FB Purity browser add-on to filter unwanted content on Facebook, but notes that Facebook is trying to ban it. Longer summary

Scott recommends the FB Purity browser add-on as a solution to reduce stress from unwanted political content on Facebook. The add-on allows users to fine-tune their Facebook settings, including options to hide links and image macros, which helps Scott enjoy social media more. However, Facebook is attempting to ban the add-on and sue its creator, leading Scott to criticize Facebook's consistently poor behavior, contrasting it with Google's 'don't be evil' approach. Shorter summary