…and socks
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Hmmm 7-11
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I think it’s a two fold issue, on one hand the ‘narcissistic’ element that is socially destructive and the data harvesting that is pretty much un-regulated and open to abuse.
The former you can divest yourself of pretty much, the later not so much.
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True. I was thinking the other day when I was playing a record, wouldn’t it be weird if every time I played a record or read a book or met a friend or went for a walk that information was sent to someone else who could then use it to make money. And that’s basically what’s happening to most of us, more and more of the time.
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“If you aren’t paying for the product, you ARE the product”.
Agree with you and @Gavin that the data side is a separate issue to the addiction/narcissistic elements.
Perhaps it’s less blatant and therefore more worrying in the social media context but in the broader digital world of banking, payments, cctv etc we are being tracked in pretty much everything we do anyway. Personally I enjoy the benefits of the digital world and so am aware and ok with the trade off.
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I’ve been wondering how long it will be before generic product adverts will have music etc tailored to the individual depending on who’s account it’s being watched on.
Welcome to Notifications Anonymous 
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This thread got me thinking about this again. I used to be firmly in the “people are the bad part, not the tool” side of the equation, but more and more I realize that the tools themselves are quite bad too. My big big problem with Instagram in particular is just that it feeds a very persistent little monster in me that has to compare my life with others’, often unfavourably. Looking through a feed just makes me feel bad, and yet somehow I can’t stop doing it, it’s incredible to me how nefarious that is and how it works.
I’ve had a few periods without it, but I always convince myself I have to go back (promotion, flirting, keeping up with friends) for some reason. Still, more and more I just want out, be what may. Maybe after a while I won’t get as many gigs, or know about peoples’ lives that much, and maybe even I’ll lose touch with people I genuinely care about, but honestly, if it makes me feel better just being me it will probably be worth it.
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Ha! 
Interesting thread. Haven’t read all yhe posts so maybe someone said this before (and im probably stating the obvious regardless) but to me what lies at the core of the problem is a lack of transparency and end-user control over how the algorithms work. I think there’s a strong case to make for regulating this aspect of the business and enforcing it upon all social media companies, also to have a level-playing field amongst them.
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Agreed… Or (as in the video in the top post) we pay say £10 a month for a premium search service that isn’t scraping all our actions, conversations etc. I think I’d probably do that.
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I’ve thought that would be a good solution, but the fact they haven’t implemented that as an option just goes to show how much your data is worth. People have to stop using the term social media company or email/digital map provider - Facebook and Google are the world’s two largest advertising companies. Once that sinks in then things start to make more sense.
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Thanks for sending me down a Jaron Lanier rabbithole, this is really good on the alternatives, and the sound quality is better too How we need to remake the internet | Jaron Lanier - YouTube
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Also been down the Lanier wormhole, but didn’t realise he’s a big music guy too…
Long but fascinating lecture from 2018, @44 minutes pretty prescient…
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It’s a shame he looks like such an unreliable narrator. But a lovely twinkly speaking style.
Do you mean because of the dreads? Looks like a traveler, haha?
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He’s reassuringly Silicon Valley Techno Hippy eh?!
Anyone remember The Fast Show’s Denzil Dexter character?!
I bet he’s always late…
Just watched some clips on YouTube, pretty great!