Visibility Algorithm
Question Garden uses a visibility algorithm to pick which answer you read from the garden. The garden is the community: anonymous responses from people like you. This page explains, in simple words, how it works and why we chose it.
Fairness Instead of Popularity
Most platforms in the internet decide visibility by popularity, which means a small number of voices get most of the attention. In Question Garden, we use a different approach: answers that were read fewer times are more likely to be shown, so visibility is shared more fairly over time. Our aim is to create a more balanced and inclusive space where all contributions have a chance to be seen, rather than a competitive environment.
How it Works
When you choose to read an answer from the garden, our algorithm:
- Scans all approved answers for that question;
- Finds the ones that have been read less frequently;
- Randomly selects one to show;
- Increases the read count of the selected answer by one.
Simple Example
Imagine there are three approved answers to read:
- Answer A: was read 2 times
- Answer B: was read 2 times
- Answer C: was read 5 times
The algorithm will choose between A and B (because they have the lowest read count), not C. It then randomly picks one of them. If A is selected, answer A goes from 2 to 3 times read.
This is how visibility stays fair over time: less-read answers are prioritized until distribution becomes more balanced.