preferencesignal
Preference signal is a data point or feature that indicates a user’s preferences or intent, used to personalize content and recommendations. Signals can be explicit, such as ratings, likes, or saved items, or implicit, inferred from interactions such as clicks, dwell time, or purchase history. These signals feed user models that rank and select items to present.
Explicit signals include upvotes, star ratings, favorites, and follows. Implicit signals include click-through, time spent on
Preference signals are collected through apps, websites, devices, and platforms, and are stored in user profiles
Applications include recommender systems for e-commerce, streaming services, and news feeds, as well as personalized search
Challenges include signal sparsity, cold-start for new users or items, and bias leading to echo chambers. Signals