Tagged “socialmedia”

I just deactivated my Twitter (X) account. Within the wider current context of other small, positive changes I’m making, it feels like the time is right.

I gave it a little thought, but not much. There were plenty of reasons to deactivate (for my own good and because X under Elon is x-crutiating) and not many good reasons to stay.

I used their download your archive feature before deactivating.

I guess I might lose a bit of touch with some web and music folks but I’m sure I’ll catch up with them in other ways.

And I s’ppose someone might try to get in touch via Twitter and find I’m no longer there, but if they want to find me online, I’m sure they will.

One less avenue for procrastination!

Here’s a list of factoids describing societal harms caused by technology platforms, each supported by a citation.

Under immense pressure to prioritize engagement and growth, technology platforms have created a race for human attention that’s unleashed invisible harms to society. Here are some of the costs that aren’t showing up on their balance sheets.

(via @adactio)

I watched Netflix’s documentary The Social Dilemma the other night. It’s been generating a bit of a buzz, and its subject matter – the effects of social media – is one I’m generally interested in. However, I wasn’t a fan.

While I totally agree with the sentiment that Facebook and Google (amongst others) don’t act in our best interests, there were more than a few aspects of this film that didn’t sit quite right.

Firstly, Netflix themselves are no angels (their CEO once said “sleep is our main competitor”) so for them to suddenly dress this up as “breaking news”, act as heroic whistleblower then make it all sexy with that typically shiny Netflix aesthetic, felt really disingenuous and nasty.

Secondly, why is it all former employees of Google and Facebook (with the exception of proper commentators like Shoshana Zuboff) that are “breaking the news” to us? It stinks of “I took the big pay cheque from a company doing bad things, now I’m taking Netflix’s pay cheque to rat on my former employee, even though Netflix do bad things too”. I trust some of these guys, and Netflix, about as far as I could throw them.

I like the social connection aspects of Facebook and it’s been handy over the years, but (lovely birthday messages and event planning aside) I wish I could bite the bullet and get off. I’d also love to see more people have their own websites/blogs – their own home on the web – and for there to be modern means of cross-communication between those. I reckon too many people have come to think that Facebook and Google are the web. They’re not.

You can have your own home on the web where the content you publish is not fodder for an algorithm that pushes you stuff and sells your data to the highest bidder.

An interview with Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles, a writer and broadcaster, on the topic of online outrage.

By shouting about the little things, are we neglecting to talk about the bigger issues in modern society? We discuss performative outrage, the role of the social media provocateur and the strange case of Rachel Dolezal.

I really enjoyed this. It totally chimed with how I currently feel about the state of online discourse, and Dotty has some great ideas and insights. I’ve already bought her book, Outraged and am looking forward to reading that soon.

Thanks to Rita (Kelly) for the tip!