Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 190 posts

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#81

Post by Maro »

samstave wrote: post #73
Maro wrote: post #64

Based on my brief time at FB (in 2016-2017), FB is not evil. MZ is trying to do the right thing, overall. Using this as a major piece of positioning/propaganda is not going to work for Spiegel. Also, if they ever want to make money, they'll be playing the exact same game as FB. That's going to be tough, as by now Snapchat is just a feature (of FB). Also, I can tell you, FB employees are laser focused on executing and…

The correct phrase, IMO, would be "cumulative shadiness" for FB... Individually, and within groups, the work of the employees and teams at FB is nothing short of amazing (and apple, google, etc)... cumulatively though? The nature of these companies are not in the best interests of individual users, and when looked at the power and impact the company as a whole has over any individual in specific, is pretty obviously…

I have a great time on FB/Messenger. It's a tool, it's up to everybody to use it in a way that is a net positive for them. I have friends/acquintances in 10+ cities, and it's a great way to keep in touch. As you mention, this "way" is very different then if we would meet in person, but that is out of the question, as we are separated by 1,000 - 10,000 km. The alternative, on average, is not to hear anything about these old friends and never meet them, lose touch, and that's the end of it. That's what happened with people who are not on FB (and living away).

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#82

Post by sli »

minieggs wrote: post #71
jonshariat wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you haven't been following it, the issue is not dealing with racists, calls for violence, hate speech, bullying, etc. There have been major clear cases and they refuse to act.

They've chosen to act w/ private accounts, muted accounts, muted words, and blocked accounts. Personally, I find muted words a powerful feature but perhaps my story is a bit different as I don't find myself targeted by hate too often (ever). I'm hesitant to believe kicking accounts off the platform is a great solve. Does any social media platform take part in shadow banning? How has that worked out?

> Does any social media platform take part in shadow banning? How has that worked out?

Reddit does, but I don't know how well it actually works since everyone is aware of it and can easily detect when they've been shadowbanned by simply using a second account.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#83

Post by buboard »

phobosdeimos wrote: post #27

Nobody trusts this sector. Was the same for doctors a hundred years ago. Now doctors take an oath and lose their license if they are caught doing something unethical. Maybe the tech sector will get there one day too. Until then assume hostility.

> Was the same for doctors a hundred years ago. Now doctors take an oath and lose their license

The Hippocratic oath is 2200 years old.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#85

Post by ovi256 »

Maro wrote: post #80
barrkel wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You know, capitalist food producers don't need to be evil. All they need do is keep tuning their food, and a blind process of optimization will lead to addictive foods that people eat until they're obese, because that's what maximizes profits for the food industry. It's not much different for Facebook. A blind process of engagement and relevance optimization leads to a more addictive product that steals more and more…

People are in charge of their own diet. People are in charge of their own time, how they spend it, on the Internet or offline. Blaming big corporations and capitalism is a sorry excuse for making bad decisions.

Given the FDA and similar regulators exist, that's patently false.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#86

Post by bduerst »

samstave wrote: post #73
Maro wrote: post #64

Based on my brief time at FB (in 2016-2017), FB is not evil. MZ is trying to do the right thing, overall. Using this as a major piece of positioning/propaganda is not going to work for Spiegel. Also, if they ever want to make money, they'll be playing the exact same game as FB. That's going to be tough, as by now Snapchat is just a feature (of FB). Also, I can tell you, FB employees are laser focused on executing and…

The correct phrase, IMO, would be "cumulative shadiness" for FB... Individually, and within groups, the work of the employees and teams at FB is nothing short of amazing (and apple, google, etc)... cumulatively though? The nature of these companies are not in the best interests of individual users, and when looked at the power and impact the company as a whole has over any individual in specific, is pretty obviously…

Interesting. Almost like a tragedy of the commons - each individual is so "laser focused" on their own impact that it eventually leads to them plundering the cumulative value for users.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#88

Post by clay_the_ripper »

venantius wrote: post #72
Maro wrote: post #64

Based on my brief time at FB (in 2016-2017), FB is not evil. MZ is trying to do the right thing, overall. Using this as a major piece of positioning/propaganda is not going to work for Spiegel. Also, if they ever want to make money, they'll be playing the exact same game as FB. That's going to be tough, as by now Snapchat is just a feature (of FB). Also, I can tell you, FB employees are laser focused on executing and…

I think you're missing the point. It's not about MZ's motivations or even how FB thinks about things internally. It's about the perception by significant numbers of people - and, critically, their elected representatives - that FB is fundamentally shady. There is a very good chance the path we're on ends with FB and potentially all of the social networks being considerably more regulated than they are currently, and…

Although this seems like a popular opinion here, the only thing that concerns me about Facebook is the potential for the govt to get access to the data fb has on me. I actually trust fb with my data because I know that they don’t care what I do online and no one will ever look at it individually. They are just going to Hoover up as much data as possible to target me with better ads, but it’s not like a human being is looking at my data, it’s just a bunch of ML code.

However if the govt can subpoena them and I’m on trial, the prosecution could probably make anyone look like a phsychopath and twist the data to look however they want.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#89

Post by eseehausen »

ovi256 wrote: post #85
Maro wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People are in charge of their own diet. People are in charge of their own time, how they spend it, on the Internet or offline. Blaming big corporations and capitalism is a sorry excuse for making bad decisions.

Given the FDA and similar regulators exist, that's patently false.

Also given the (hundreds of) billions of advertising dollars spent on shaping consumer tastes/desires when it comes to food.

Re: Nobody Trusts Facebook, Twitter Is a Hot Mess, What Is Snapchat Doing?

#90

Post by rconti »

jarboot wrote: post #16
late2part wrote: post #4

I don't know anyone over 18 who uses Snapchat besides celebrities.

Just wanted to say as a 20-25 year old, snapchat is still extremely popular among people I know. The perception is snapchat for friend's daily lives, instagram for following celebs/creators and permanent posts, facebook for events and extended family, and messenger for email/wechat/whatsapp functionality. It's the primary way I keep in contact with acquaintances, and many other people I know are the same. It's a more…

I've never used Snapchat, but I like this description where there's an "end" to the content, rather than infinite scrolling. You can catch up, and be done.

To reply to another commenter here, I, too, am "old" and generally find any video content exhausting. I like text and pictures; the idea of an experience to which I am captive feels suffocating; I feel like I have no choice. Oh, it has sound, great, now I have to put my headphones on. Or I have to watch this youtube video eventually get to the point, or a gif of indeterminate length.

I feel the same way about Instagram stories and video, BUT I think generally these platforms (I'm sure Snap included) at least have a scrubber so you know when it will be over.

Post reply on HN