Hi,
This post is going to be one of those reflective rambles. One where I’ll go through some thoughts about what’s going on.
What is it I’m seeing?
At the time of writing, a social media company has removed third party fact checking and are now allowing certain terminology to be used. For example, allowing people to say LGBTQ+ individuals are ‘mentally ill’ or similar. Phrases or statements that we would be unlikely to come across at work – unless we’d like a visit to the Thinking Chair in HR 😉
Another company has generative AI that will let you make photorealistic images with few limitations. Typically, generative systems have filters to prevent content that features people in the public eye, and/or the creation of material that would offend.
As someone who left Facebook and who never signed up to Twitter, I feel I’m outside of the effects. At least, directly.
My family life doesn’t require me to use these platforms and I don’t have a need through my employer either. However, does I’m Alright Jack wash in this situation? Just because I’m shielded from the systems, does that mean that being allowed to say things that are untrue, is okay?
Nerd watch
As an IT geek, I’ve seen the appearance of Mastodon, Bluesky, and Signal. I don’t say this as finger-on-the-pulse statement; indeed, quite the opposite as I’m not looking for platforms to sign up to.
We do use Signal for messaging in the Jones family as that system is not part of Meta or X. The host company are very privacy focused, so that was a big draw for me.
The reach and the rub
I know the Ever Lovely Mrs J has the Facebook app. As does Granny J, although my Mum deleted it last year. My Dad refused to join it. I think my sisters use it.
Child 2.0 is on Twitter/X so they can follow their favourite music artists. I think three Thursday friends are on Instagram, but I don’t look TBH.
I often hear folk say that they’re only on these networks because their friends & family are.
I do have a Google account because of my phone, old Blogger account, Gmail, and for YouTube. I’m on Twitch as a viewer – I don’t create content on it as a streamer.
I mention the above because I’m hoping to set the scene that I’m not suggesting some hardcore digital exit to leave everything. Mind you, if you did, that’s entirely up to you.
Equally, if you enjoy the social media experience and the lack of fact checking & social restrictions don’t bother you; again, it’s your life, your data, and your choice. Just don’t share my stuff on there please.
The Alternatives
What I am going to say is you don’t have stay on those platforms. It’s possible to keep in touch with friends via other routes.
On a personal note, removing Facebook and whatnot changed my behaviour. I wasn’t taking photos of things that might amuse, or commenting on things that bothered me. Indeed, the ‘rage farming’ for engagement is something I’m glad to see the back of. I shudder to think what claptrap was doing the rounds during COVID.
What are the options?
There are also other platforms that – currently at least – still have firm anti discrimination policies. You’d have to check where they stand on third party fact checking. Both Mastodon and BlueSky have become popular as an alternative to Twitter/X.
For messaging, well, I’ve mentioned Signal as replacement to WhatsApp, Messenger, etc. As someone in the slow lane on messaging, Signal gives me group chats, video/audio calls, expiring/editable message; so it works for me. You just need a mobile number to register.
There’s still FlickR – which I think is managed by Yahoo – which may tick the boxes around exiting Instagram. Having used neither as a creator, others will know better.
To stay or not to stay? That is the question
If the lack of fact checking and/or the rise of AI created content – or ‘slop’, as I read being the popular term – doesn’t bother you, move along. Nothing to see here. As you were 😉
Equally, if you feel it’s better to stay on the platforms – to be visible, to push back, to educate, etc; that’s your call. You may think it’s important to maintain a presence and the people network you’ve got. Again, no judgement from me.
You might think that by leaving the platforms that you’re letting certain parties win. I can see that side of things too.
I’ll also say this: if you don’t like how things are going, you don’t have to stay. You can have your data removed and you can leave the platforms.
You can also ‘half leave’. Remove the apps and only access the platforms via a web browser. Throw in an adblocker or browser plugin to hide certain content, and you may find your feed is a lovely place once again. You may enjoy seeing less adverts and slop 😉
L x
In the light of that certain big company’s policy changes I’m certainly planning my exit from their portals. In fact, I have 100 lifetime licences for community software (currently in alpha) which replicates much of what Facebook does, but without data mining and tracking. I originally bought the software to foster the “trans pound” (remember the Pink Pound?) by acting as a support portal for businesses run by members of the trans community.
However, in the light of that certain big company’s announcement I feel that opening up the site, on a free membership basis, to the UK trans community as a whole might not be such a bad idea.
Early days, but something has to be done given the changing circumstances.
The extra and free licenses may help you draw folk in, and gain that all important critical mass. Once you’ve the latter, if enough folk/content is there, I’d hope the system becomes self sustaining.
May I ask what the software is?
I’ll use your contact form to send you the info, this evening.
Thanks for a useful and thoughtful post, Lynn. Social media can be useful only if you are disciplined and alert. I let my guard down for the first time ever when I was tired and lost my Facebook to hackers. That has changed my behaviour too as I spend less time looking for something interesting and instead go and actually do something interesting.
Personally, I’d never have a social media app, certainly not on the same phone I have my banking apps. But now that US tech billionaires are cuddling up to a certain unhinged maniac, I’d advise anyone to leave their platforms and adopt a more responsible platform if they want to. I don’t think it’s the case that by leaving you are letting the nasties win but an issue of personal safety since these sites hold way too much personal info about you, your whereabouts and your thoughts. In an age of extremism and dictatorship with the power stacked against you, you don’t want to reveal too much. There are alternative ways of fighting back than using the enemy’s own platform and rules to play a game they won’t let you win.
Sue x
“…instead go and actually do something interesting.”
Keep rolling, not scrolling 😉 I hope you’re enjoying the extra time and drive to be out & about. Oh, one thing I noticed on quitting FB, was I had a longer attention span for reading and creating a few weeks later.
FWIW, I felt your pain around losing your account. I think it’s one thing to have a choice about exiting. It’s another to be locked out through whatever cause.
While it’s not perfect, setting up Multifactor Authentication (‘MFA’) on your accounts is a very good thing. Doubly so if not done using SMS.
With my nerd history hat on, it’s interesting that the old USENET system was put in to promote decentralisation and avoid what we’re seeing now.
The largest internet spy in your household is always going to be your ISP, unless your prepared to use a VPN or something like TOR to access the web, you are going to be spied on
That or whatever ‘free’ services you are using from certain search engine companies and/or some smartphone app creators. I think it’s about what you, as a person, are willing to allow and what you won’t allow.
For example, the Ever Lovely Mrs J doesn’t see much political bobbins and her on-line social circle aren’t generally the type to share the -ahem- more colourful views from around the Internet, so she’s not left the app (yet). That’s her choice, her phone, and her data.
I’m not saying privacy isn’t important, I think it comes down to personal comfort. From an IT point of view – and thinking about it from a security angle, it’s always a balance between best, good enough, and something that disrupts life negatively. I guess it’s like having a car with a steering lock, four wheel clamps, and a big ‘ol chain to something heavy. Sure, that car unlikely to be pinched, but what a faff to pop out to the shops! 😁
With a VPN do pick one that’s not reselling your data. Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire! 😏 DNS encryption would be useful too, so you’re not tunneling data safely, but all your website name requests are still being caught.
Apart from Google blogger, I’m only on FB and I haven’t actually looked at Susie’s account for ages and the last time I posted there must have been last July.
I haven’t posted anything except birthday greetings to friends on my male account and I only check it to see what my friends are up to. I also made a rule when I joined that I would only accept friend requests from people I knew personally.
I’ve been reading a lot of pre-war fiction recently where social media meant ringing for a footman to deliver a handwritten letter, invitation or visiting card. Maybe it’s time to make a comeback.
Maybe there’s an opportunity for a voice activated app that responds to “Jeeves? A letter to Ms Susie, please.” and the result arrives on digital paper in an hour or two 🙂
Other friends have said similar to you, Susie, around their FB use. Or more accurately, the lack of it. I guess we will see if the changes will dent the user figures.
But the real question is, who will the bot farm AI trolls talk to if people leave? 😁
There may be a point at which all the real people have left X and FB and it’s just rival bots posting and reading spurious made-up misinformation posts and comments to each other. At that point we’ll know that the sf dystopian future has arrived and Philp Dick was right all along. In fact, if a post I’ve just seen about undercover cops posing a drug dealers arresting other undercover cops posing as drug addicts is true, then it’s already here.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/undercover-cops-arrest/
Yes, robots making goods for robots because there’s no humans left.
I did wonder if the continuation of online hatred will eventually spawn a T800. Because all humans will need to be terminated for being too woke and not detesting everything and everyone 😁