(LONG RANT)-A public service announcement. I know it might be obvious since I am posting in Privacy. Most of you might know this already. But I have to rant. Just in case if this helps anybody. You can test this for yourself. Click on any, usually political posts, you will see nonstop arguing, then you will start getting more and more posts like that. Same thing with TikTok and Reddit for sure. The sites want you to engage more so you stay on there. Especially now in these crazy political times. I have grown very disgusted with this and have deleted every app I can think of that does it. It is also very bad for your mental health. Now, who knows what data they are trying to get from those sites too. And some sites require your phone number or some kind of stupid verification process. This will get worse, you might have to add your ID just to enter in more websites online eventually. It is happening already with age restricted adult sites and with Discord. But honestly, you should already be watching what your kids are doing anyway. There will always be parental control tools. Now, the social media apps sure don’t help your child’s mental health either. They could be talking to anybody on them, a very disturbing thought. With them also posting photos and videos. I would never let my child do that on any website. Too many creeps out there. Obviously, when they are an adult that is a different story. But, children being on sites like these is very harmful to their minds. Even kids apps, they can click on AI slop that might say the ABC’s wrong or something like that. They have to be watched when you give them some random iPad. This whole rant might sound nuts, but I had to say it.
To be honest, I came here to get away from the toxicity of algorithm driven social media, reddit etc., but I find myself as angered here as anywhere else. While the algorithms play their role in generating anger, I’m finding more and more that people are as much of the problem as anything else.
Yes it’s great that I can tailor my feed to exactly what I want, and that works fine, but it seems they are riddled with disgruntled, pissed off, angry, paranoid people that don’t seem to be happy with anything before them, and seem intent on annoying everyone around them.
It was a breath of fresh air at first. Subscribe to X, Y and Z, only receive updates on X, Y and Z, but it was quickly ruined by the people, not the algorithm.
It’s getting increasingly difficult to exist online now without this toxicity, and we can’t keep blaming the algorithms.
Anyway, maybe I was a bit naive about what to expect, but its disappointing. We are running out if enjoyable spaces to exist in online and thats a shame.
Who would have thought? Capitalism and billionaires have made a lot of people angry…
Unfortunately unless it’s the algorithm itself publishing the toxicity (which it isn’t), getting rid of the algorithm will not help much.
I completely agree with you but wouldn’t it be less impactful if we were less online? I think quality is a thing, yes, control your feed etc. But quantity is just as important, if not more. If you’re constantly online you will naturally be more exposed to this sort of toxicity.
Edit: what I mean is that we don’t have to be as radical and completely get rid of social media. We need to spend less time on it. And Lemmy is perfect for that. No infinite scrolling, curated feed…
Totally agree. I have been away from all social media for years, with the final two, LinkedIn and Reddit nuked last year. I spent a full year being as helpful as I possibly could on Reddit, in specific subs, went out of the way to help people etc., but fuck me the toxicity in that place was unreal.
I spend very little time on my phone now, with Voyager the only app I use that connects me to communities, i.e. this one, but its still hard to get away from the heavy stuff. I don’t know where people have the time and energy to be so obstructive and challenging. If they put a fraction of that energy into helping people, it would change the world!
Being on the phone less has been great, but its just a pity that the only place I do go is a bit of a challenge at times. There’s so many good people here, its hard for them to keep their heads above the surface at times.
Maybe I need to curate even further!
I get it, sometimes it’s overwhelming. No matter how much we curate we’ll always encounter the toxicity. There’s no way to 100% avoid it… Heck even in real life you’ll come across this type of people. At the end of the day it’s a matter of how much we are willing to deal with it. Maybe ignore them? I don’t know… I was always told to not feed the trolls so I try to apply this rule everywhere.
I personally still use other types of social media, including Reddit for example, and the difference with here is night and day.
Honestly I’m jealous of you, I can’t bring myself to quit them. I always end up re creating an account and my screen time is shameful…