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NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

bitsoffreedom.nl

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Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#41

Post by supermatt »

snaking0776 wrote: post #33
rosseitsa wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a level of investment we put in the platforms we use. This comment is akin to asking farmers cut off from repairing their equipment "why don't you buy tractors from a different company instead of fighting to fix your existing ones?" The investment in the case of social media is the network you've built. In my country most local events are announced primarily on facebook for example.

This article about the AT protocol (which Bluesky uses) provides a good argument for why alternative social media sites like will help prevent this feeling of lock-in in the future and is worth a read: https://overreacted.io/open-social/

Is it possible to use bluesky without a did:plc? Id rather be in control of my own identity than leave it irreversibly in the hands of yet another overlord.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#42

Post by Aurornis »

55555 wrote: post #20

Please for the love of god make it a legal requirement that messaging must be made available as a separate app without addictive feeds. Or make it such that users can disable the feed in settings. We need to be able to message our friends without seeing a feed without having to convert all of our friends to a new platform.

> We need to be able to message our friends without seeing a feed without having to convert all of our friends to a new platform.

Those people are in the app because of the social features and the feed in the first place. The messaging features were built on top of the platform.

Requiring companies to make and maintain a separate app entirely if their product has messaging features is an unreasonable requirement. If someone has such a strong self-control problem that they can’t message someone without becoming addicted to the feed, they shouldn’t be involved with the platform at all.

Just exchange emails, phone numbers for SMS, or any other type of communication. I seriously doubt that your friends are only able to communicate through exactly one communication channel and it happens to be Instagram.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#43

Post by bitpush »

55555 wrote: post #20

Please for the love of god make it a legal requirement that messaging must be made available as a separate app without addictive feeds. Or make it such that users can disable the feed in settings. We need to be able to message our friends without seeing a feed without having to convert all of our friends to a new platform.

I don't know why you want a government agency to dictate product strategy.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#44

Post by thahajemni »

hsuduebc2 wrote: post #12

As a European, I’m glad that the influence of big, potentially dangerous companies is being kept in check. From the start of October, Meta is completely switching off political ads and now I can look forward to my feed stopping with tabloids, politics and Russian propaganda and going back to technical curiosities and capybaras.

I, as a European, am worried that these rulings, regulations, and the prevailing mindset will lead to companies leaving and result in technological stagnation, due to our inability to compete with global markets.

Of course, there is something to be said about the dangers, effectiveness, and societal impact of social media. But companies should have the right to decide how they conduct their business. They should also have the incentive to innovate and improve- without being threatened by overly strict or poorly designed laws.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#46

Post by hiccuphippo »

eru wrote: post #25
rosseitsa wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a level of investment we put in the platforms we use. This comment is akin to asking farmers cut off from repairing their equipment "why don't you buy tractors from a different company instead of fighting to fix your existing ones?" The investment in the case of social media is the network you've built. In my country most local events are announced primarily on facebook for example.

[flagged]

Sorry the factory you bought from changed their T&C last month. You agreed to it when you turned your tractor on that morning.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#47

Post by inetknght »

mglazebrook wrote: post #39
mattashii wrote: post #2

Judgement (dutch): https://www.bitsoffreedom.nl/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025... The judgement requires Meta to change their platforms within 2 weeks so that the user's choice is persistent. If not implemented in 2 weeks, there is a daily penalty of €100'000, up to a maximum of €5 million.

I doubt they will meet the deadline or care over 5mill. It just is pennies to them.

The thing about ignoring courts' orders is... well, courts don't exactly look favorably on people who ignore them. Looking forward to court's round 2, then.

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#48

Post by hiccuphippo »

eru wrote: post #24
astonex wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's about making the right choices for society as a whole

Not using Facebook might be the right choice.

Because the alternatives are not going to try exploit us when they grow big enough?

Re: NL Judge: Meta must respect user's choice of recommendation system

#50

Post by delbronski »

thahajemni wrote: post #44
hsuduebc2 wrote: post #12

As a European, I’m glad that the influence of big, potentially dangerous companies is being kept in check. From the start of October, Meta is completely switching off political ads and now I can look forward to my feed stopping with tabloids, politics and Russian propaganda and going back to technical curiosities and capybaras.

I, as a European, am worried that these rulings, regulations, and the prevailing mindset will lead to companies leaving and result in technological stagnation, due to our inability to compete with global markets. Of course, there is something to be said about the dangers, effectiveness, and societal impact of social media. But companies should have the right to decide how they conduct their business. They should also…

As a European, I much prefer technological stagnation over technological progress that is harmful to society.
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