Social networks are no longer social • Hacker News Board

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#41

Post by saagarjha » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:00 PM UTC

octosphere wrote: post #13

pcurve wrote: post #4

The article mentions of days when you were anonymous, getting to know strangers through common interests and exchanging ideas. I do miss those early days. For me, social network stopped being social as soon as reasonable assurance of anonymity when out the window once companies started pressuring people use their real identity, and that became the norm.

You can still be anonymous on Facebook if you use their onion service[1]. Although I think you can't register for an account under Tor, which is counter intuitive (I mean why would you offer a Tor hidden service if you can't register under it?). In that case I would register using a 3G/GSM IP which many people share (instead of a unique IP where few people share it); and then, once registered, proceed to browse Faceb…

> Facebook has been applauded for allowing such access, which makes it available in countries that actively try to block Facebook

I’m not sure how I feel about this…

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#42

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:01 PM UTC

osrec wrote: post #35

Facebook described in 50 years: a network where real world relationships were gamified and users competed for popularity. The network eventually died because the relationships it represented became meaningless in the eyes of its users, and the perceived value of the "game" fell to virtually zero.

[deleted]

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#43

Post by elliekelly » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:06 PM UTC

osrec wrote: post #35

Facebook described in 50 years: a network where real world relationships were gamified and users competed for popularity. The network eventually died because the relationships it represented became meaningless in the eyes of its users, and the perceived value of the "game" fell to virtually zero.

Meaningless at best. For some users the relationships and one-upmanship is detrimental to their mental/emotional wellbeing.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#44

Post by kryogen1c » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

mancerayder wrote: post #30

cgriswald wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Imagine going to a bar and having your name, relationship status, political orientation, and a list of your big mistakes floating above your head. Good times. Good times.

I've been reading this strange but fun sci-fi book by this Russian author Dan Sugralinov, about a man who's a loser/game addict who then wakes up with a mysterious implant in his brain that lets him see "stats" of people, and connects him to some mysterious network of information. "Restart" is the name of the first book. Not only does he see people's stats and standing in the world in the form of social level, but he…

For a nondystopian (depending on your perspective, I suppose) version of this reality, see Daniel Suarez's daemon and freedom. Highly recommend.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#45

Post by elliekelly » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

annadane wrote: post #40

Zuckerberg, in his hearing about the election thing, said "you control your feed on Facebook", or something. I find that hard to believe. I find that VERY hard to believe. Either he is completely ignorant, or he has no problem lying to the general public. Because between forcing Top Stories and broadcasting things you never meant to broadcast... well, it's a bald faced lie. Why can't these companies either listen to…

> Why can't these companies either listen to their customers directly

They do listen to their customers. We just aren't their customers.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#46

Post by annadane » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:08 PM UTC

elliekelly wrote: post #45

annadane wrote: post #40

Zuckerberg, in his hearing about the election thing, said "you control your feed on Facebook", or something. I find that hard to believe. I find that VERY hard to believe. Either he is completely ignorant, or he has no problem lying to the general public. Because between forcing Top Stories and broadcasting things you never meant to broadcast... well, it's a bald faced lie. Why can't these companies either listen to…

> Why can't these companies either listen to their customers directly They do listen to their customers. We just aren't their customers.

Pedantic. You know what I meant.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#47

Post by johnchristopher » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:09 PM UTC

yifanl wrote: post #15

werds wrote: post #9

Surprised that he doesn't mention Reddit, where the lost communities he described certainly do exist and thrive.

Reddit's a bit different than forums as far as I can tell. There was a forum I used to frequent, even years later I can recognize someone's avatar, crack inside jokes with them. Reddit's a little too open to have that kind of connection.

It seems really to boil down to: can you spin off a server and run on your own place or not ? If not you get a free for-all place with bouncers (privacy policy, rules, modes, etc.) coming up at some point or not.

I can see "the next messenger app" plus "total privacy à la signal" capturing that feeling back.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#48

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:09 PM UTC

annadane wrote: post #46

elliekelly wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why can't these companies either listen to their customers directly They do listen to their customers. We just aren't their customers.

Pedantic. You know what I meant.

[deleted]

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#49

Post by revskill » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:09 PM UTC

WilliamEdward wrote: post #37

revskill wrote: post #36

It's all about advertising. Social network is about advertising in the end. To CEOs: top using "social network" vocabulary for your business, when in the end, it's about advertising. Or you're liars.

That's what advertising is though. It's lying just enough to sell the product but not enough to get in trouble.

Naming is hard ? Not sure in this case. Naming an advertising framework as "social network" is false.

Re: Social networks are no longer social

#50

Post by fgandiya » Mon, Dec 24, 2018, 4:10 PM UTC

I'm not sure how to feel about this. From social media I've been able to connect with old friends, enjoy good memes and keep up with current affairs.

It's also been useful at times where I've found people willing to put in a good word for a job, mentor me and there are a few people who are really good at providing a fruitful environment for discussion (even controversial topics) that makes me sad to leave.

Unfortunately, it just got too extra for me. I mean, there is a lot of bullshit in the world, but at times it looks like people just want to get mad for the sake of it. While I'm not a big proponent of don't feed the trolls, I doubt quote tweeting some asshole to score a satisfying dunk does any favors. It just seems to import garbage into other people's timelines.

Also, they'll be done people going about their day, or writing something intended for their like-minded friends and it catches wind far beyond where it was supposed to go, setting you up for an unwanted roast.

Even though I deleted my social media, I'm hoping that it becomes less extra because there can be a lot of value in it.

Sadly, it's hard to see that happening, especially with how social media is becoming the whole internet and IRL for many people in the world. The Telecom operators in my home country insist on selling unlimited social media packages rather than just giving us cheaper internet even though they can somehow provide 2GB of data for $5 that has to be used in 24 hours.