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Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

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Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#171

Post by pen1slicker »

WarmWash wrote: post #149
sensanaty wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You paying just signals that you're someone to push more ads to and to harvest more data on, since it means you have disposable income to spend on something as useless as instagram or facebook. Meta isn't going to stop harvesting all your information just because you pay for a subscription, they'll harvest and sell your data AND take your money.

If I'm paying and still getting unwanted ads...then I am no longer going to be paying. I'm not sure what win Meta sees here.

[dead]

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#172

Post by [deleted] »

ryandrake wrote: post #101
Starman_Jones wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The hardest part about not using Meta products is deciding not to use meta products. When I stopped using Facebook, I had resigned myself to spending a lot of time and effort to stay in touch with my friends and family. As it turns out, all I had to do was mention that I was using Signal, and the people closest to me, then pretty close to me, then kinda close to me all started using that too. The network effect cuts…

It’s amazing how strong the Meta FOMO is. I stopped using Facebook over 10 years ago and never even opened Instagram or WhatsApp, and I really am not missing out on anything in life. My actual friends know how to contact me and they do! And it’s really not that hard to say “Sorry I don’t have Whats App, just call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx.” If someone is prepared to not be my friend because they only want to communicate via…

[deleted]

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#173

Post by tgma »

sensanaty wrote: post #134
qqtt wrote: post #98

I'm going to go against the grain here and say this is probably a positive thing for Meta products, and honestly every other "free" service to provide these kinds of revenue avenues. How many times do we hear things like "if the product is free, you are the product" - well, the consequence of that is development resources tend to be pulled into directions that benefit advertisers. By having material subscription reve…

You paying just signals that you're someone to push more ads to and to harvest more data on, since it means you have disposable income to spend on something as useless as instagram or facebook. Meta isn't going to stop harvesting all your information just because you pay for a subscription, they'll harvest and sell your data AND take your money.

People who spew I'd rather pay, I'd rather pay often majorly underestimate how expensive Google and Facebook would have to be in the western world to offset the ad revenue per person. The irony is this is especially true for you if money is no object to you, as you'd be disproportionately valuable to the ad machine. It's not going to be ten bucks folks.

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#174

Post by phyrex »

darth_avocado wrote: post #125
qqtt wrote: post #98

I'm going to go against the grain here and say this is probably a positive thing for Meta products, and honestly every other "free" service to provide these kinds of revenue avenues. How many times do we hear things like "if the product is free, you are the product" - well, the consequence of that is development resources tend to be pulled into directions that benefit advertisers. By having material subscription reve…

Id pay money to not see ads. Like YouTube premium. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. Can’t believe they rolled out all these different plans and left out the one thing a lot of people would buy.

Those plans exist in Europe. Not sure if they're available elsewhere or how popular they are there

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#175

Post by lobf »

YesBox wrote: post #60
sillysaurusx wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I was asking how you got so many players.

Forgive me for not wanting to write up the history of the game's development. It boils down to product market fit, innovation, and fantasy fulfillment/fun. See for yourself: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2287430/Metropolis_1998/

This does indeed look great- is it only a demo now?

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#176

Post by sethops1 »

darth_avocado wrote: post #125
qqtt wrote: post #98

I'm going to go against the grain here and say this is probably a positive thing for Meta products, and honestly every other "free" service to provide these kinds of revenue avenues. How many times do we hear things like "if the product is free, you are the product" - well, the consequence of that is development resources tend to be pulled into directions that benefit advertisers. By having material subscription reve…

Id pay money to not see ads. Like YouTube premium. And I’m sure I’m not the only one. Can’t believe they rolled out all these different plans and left out the one thing a lot of people would buy.

I paid for YouTube Premium until they started showing me ads for YouTube TV (and maybe YouTube Red at the time?). Cancelled and got into DNS adblocking.

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#177

Post by wyclif »

rahkiin wrote: post #170
wyclif wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WhatsApp as the only contact point is a pretty strong signal that the user is from a developing world country. I'm not from that part of the world, so I don't use WhatsApp.

If you count -all of europe- as a developing country, sure. In europe we never had free unlimited texts. Internet was cheaper than calling/texting, especially with everyone having wifi at home and work. So a cross-platform messaging app appeared and has replaced text and calling.

Sure, it's not airtight. WhatsApp is popular in Europe. But as an American, when I see somebody say "You can only contact me on WhatsApp", it's not exactly a green text bubble signal.

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#178

Post by doom2 »

ryandrake wrote: post #101
Starman_Jones wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The hardest part about not using Meta products is deciding not to use meta products. When I stopped using Facebook, I had resigned myself to spending a lot of time and effort to stay in touch with my friends and family. As it turns out, all I had to do was mention that I was using Signal, and the people closest to me, then pretty close to me, then kinda close to me all started using that too. The network effect cuts…

It’s amazing how strong the Meta FOMO is. I stopped using Facebook over 10 years ago and never even opened Instagram or WhatsApp, and I really am not missing out on anything in life. My actual friends know how to contact me and they do! And it’s really not that hard to say “Sorry I don’t have Whats App, just call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx.” If someone is prepared to not be my friend because they only want to communicate via…

The annoying thing is how many businesses and communities rely on Meta platforms instead of their own websites and sometimes it's the only way to contact them. If I want to check if the small neighborhood grocery has something in stock? No phone, only Instagram DMs. When I was on vacation abroad and wanted to see if an out of the way farmers market was still happening despite rain? Only Facebook.

The good thing is that it isn't everywhere: Taiwan, Japan, and China usually have apps like Line or WeChat as options. In Europe there's more usage of WhatsApp (which is still Meta owned but also not social media). But in the US (and countries in the Americas), I still see a heavy reliance on Instagram and Facebook.

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#179

Post by ksd482 »

jmspring wrote: post #127
qqtt wrote: post #98

I'm going to go against the grain here and say this is probably a positive thing for Meta products, and honestly every other "free" service to provide these kinds of revenue avenues. How many times do we hear things like "if the product is free, you are the product" - well, the consequence of that is development resources tend to be pulled into directions that benefit advertisers. By having material subscription reve…

So, pay them to keep doing what they already do?

Yes. The difference is now the money is coming from you rather than selling your data. Which is what you want.

Of course, they could still sell your data anyway. That's why it's important to pay attention to their T&C.

Re: Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions

#180

Post by abound »

apsurd wrote: post #118
scns wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> they’ll take the subscription AND sell your data, serve you ads Streaming services claiming prior art here.

I just remembered there’s a black mirror episode about this. The paid subscription evolution by a “health tech” startup let’s say. I won’t give away the plot, but it’s so realistically absurd it’s sad, hilarious and terrifying all at once.

For those who might want to watch it, the episode is called "Common People", and it's a pretty brutal one.
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