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Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

pewresearch.org

21–30 of 65 posts

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#21
post #19

I was noticing this morning that their "I don't want to see this" feature seems to be stored client side. For a second while the page is loading I'll see an article that immediately poofs away because the client side js reads the setting and hides the article. Every single time this morning that I refreshed the page, I saw a few articles poof away. They really want me to see the tabloid crap I marked as don't want to…

I think it's doubtful that Facebook wouldn't store that information server-side (you know, to achieve even better ad targeting). Maybe it's both, though.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#22
"Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#23
post #21
post #19

I was noticing this morning that their "I don't want to see this" feature seems to be stored client side. For a second while the page is loading I'll see an article that immediately poofs away because the client side js reads the setting and hides the article. Every single time this morning that I refreshed the page, I saw a few articles poof away. They really want me to see the tabloid crap I marked as don't want to…

I think it's doubtful that Facebook wouldn't store that information server-side (you know, to achieve even better ad targeting). Maybe it's both, though.

I think the Facebook "I don't want to see this" data is stored server-side, but the code that actually hides posts runs as client-side javascript. That would explain why the client spins so much loading/hiding posts you've hidden, and why the hidden-ness is persistent across browsers.

I've gotten the impression from several accounts that, despite their prestige, Facebook's application code is often unbelievably janky, and this just confirms that.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#24

I wonder how many people who have "deleted the app" do what my SO does and keep using it daily via their phone's web browser whilst still telling people "Yeah I've totally deleted Facebook from my phone".

I only use the mobile browser version because the app is laggy and forces you to install their shitty dedicated messenger app just to read messages. At least thats how it was 1,5yrs ago or so, haven't tried it since then again.

I was getting redirected to the messenger app from the mobile browser version, as well. They seemed to quit letting me used messenger in the browser.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#25

As a shareholder: not too worried about this. Instagram and WhatsApp have plenty of room for growth that can compensate for FB users leaving. A few weeks ago, WhatsApp released its official API[0] and at least here in Europe i have seen many companies starting to utilize it. For example airlines, sending WhatsApp messages keeping you updated on the status of your flight, much more convenient than installing a extra a…

I find this kind of amusing. I suspect the adoption of this varies by area/country based on how, ahem, well, poorly basic SMS is implemented and priced in that area.

For example I notice that when in Germany, Whatsapp adoption is quite high, because SMS rates are absolutely ridiculous. Other countries... less so.

I still get SMS (and email, but SMS frankly still pushes more reliably than data based systems) notifications for my airlines, and that also certainly qualifies as Not An Extra App :)

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#26

"Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior.

> "Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior.

I disagree. A cookie jar doesn't encourage you to make bad choices by nagging you to eat another cookie if you haven't had one in while. Facebook will try to grab your attention any way it can to get you to make the bad choice to open up their app another time. A practical and effective way to escape those attempts is to delete their software from your devices.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#27
post #26

"Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior.

> "Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior. I disagree. A cookie jar doesn't encourage you to make bad choices by nagging you to eat another cookie if you haven't had one in while. Facebook will t…

A practical and effective way to escape those attempts is to delete their software from your devices your account.

There's also an argument to be made, that cookie makers want you to keep eating cookies, just like Facebook wants you to keep "sharing". Facebook has an advantage (living on a device you obsess over), however those cookies you hid on top of your refrigerator ... are they whispering to me?

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#28

"The new survey finds that around one-in-ten Facebook users (9%) have downloaded the personal data about them available on Facebook. But despite their relatively small size as a share of the Facebook population, these users are highly privacy-conscious." 9% of a huge number is... a huge number.

Over 2B user base means 200 million have downloaded their data. That's a large nation's worth of concerned people.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#29

I wonder how many people who have "deleted the app" do what my SO does and keep using it daily via their phone's web browser whilst still telling people "Yeah I've totally deleted Facebook from my phone".

It's a step that reduces privacy invasion, makes use less convenient, and keeps you from getting alerts. A step in the right direction.

Re: Americans are changing their relationship with Facebook

#30
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Deleting the app" from your mobile is like an overweight person hiding the cookies or a cigarette smoker hiding their cigarettes - it's at least a conscious decision to make better choices, however everyone knows it won't work until you actually stop the behavior. I disagree. A cookie jar doesn't encourage you to make bad choices by nagging you to eat another cookie if you haven't had one in while. Facebook will t…

A practical and effective way to escape those attempts is to delete their software from your devices your account. There's also an argument to be made, that cookie makers want you to keep eating cookies, just like Facebook wants you to keep "sharing". Facebook has an advantage (living on a device you obsess over), however those cookies you hid on top of your refrigerator ... are they whispering to me?

> A practical and effective way to escape those attempts is to delete their software from your devices your account.

That is another way to do it, but it might not fit many people's lifestyles as well intermediate measures like deleting the app. Facebook is a communication channel, just like email and the telephone, and totally deleting your account has definite costs that vary from person to person. I think it's totally fine for people to manage how they make their own tradeoffs, and I know for a fact that the most extreme action is often more than is really required to get resuts.

Take myself, for example. I'm quite anti-facebook and hardly ever use their software. But I haven't deleted my account because I have friends and acquaintances who still use it for event planning, and I don't want to be either left out or be a prima donna demands special treatment. I get an email notification when I get an invite, and I only log in to RSVP and check the event info.

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