Chapter 1: Understanding Notification Overload

Lately, my notifications have become overwhelmingly cluttered, and not in a way that seems beneficial.

This new feature seems to be inflating my notifications beyond what is necessary.

Medium appears to be tweaking its algorithms once more. Have others noticed any changes in their notification experience on the platform? Perhaps it's just me. I’ve started receiving alerts whenever writers I follow interact with the same articles I do. Is this a recent addition to Medium's features?

In June, Medium implemented several updates, including modifications to the partner program, adjustments to earnings, a revamped user interface, and a new algorithm for calculating engagement. One notable change is the influx of notifications regarding other writers' activities in my feed.

Initially, I was taken aback when I received over 60 notifications in a single night. At first, I thought it was due to a spike in engagement on one of my articles, but as I sifted through the alerts, I realized the bulk of them were not related to my work at all. Instead, I found over 20 notifications about the engagements of other writers.

I can’t help but wonder if I’m the only one encountering this issue, or if it’s a common experience. The notifications seem to originate from every writer I follow; whenever they engage with articles I've read, I receive updates.

For example, if I read an article by Writer A, I get notifications when my followed writers clap, highlight, or comment on it as well. In turn, writers who follow me also receive alerts when I engage with the same content they do.

Could it be that Medium's algorithm is designed to monitor our interactions with familiar writers and friends through this method?