This is the thing that gets me: "This is downright amusing. These social media sites track everything I do—but still they don’t seem to know that I’ve never bought anything from Nike or Victoria’s Secret. And never will."
Years ago someone--and I can't recall who--said something along the lines of, "Facebook has a billion users in it's 'community' and the only thing they can think to do with them is show them ads."
Substack so far seems more in line with the promise of the internet in its early days.
"Or why can’t I access Threads with a desktop or laptop computer browser?"
Because one of the primary functions of Threads is to put a tracking app on a device that you carry with you everywhere so your actual location information can be harvested and sold.
You honestly joined a new social media platform from one of the biggest tech firms out there with ‘innocent enthusiasm’? In this day and age? What on earth did you expect?
Zuckerberg has always been a shithead. From day one. In a different environment he might have been an Incel, except he was "Harvard material." Unattractive and socially inept. Revenge of the Nerds and all that. Remember FB started as a way for he and his fellow geeks to rate women at Harvard. But with all his wealth, look who he married. True love, and per Wikipedia she's a "non-denominational Buddhist." Well I told my bandmate I chuckle every time I sing the lyrics to "Imagine" with that part of no possessions- Lennon didn't exactly do that now did he? Nor did dear Yoko. In fact with all their financial missteps she's still nearly a billionaire.
We just swap out the Z for an F. But there's something in the algorithm that makes it incredible that no other company has managed to compete with FB.
A friend posted (on FB) that Vice employees are spilling the beans something about their NDAs being null and void, so we can see what a shitshow it was. I responded that EVERYTHING is a shitshow these days. And nobody really has a clue what to do about any of it. I know, bread and circuses, but I like my sports. At least I used to . . . but even ESPN has become unwatchable and unreadable.
You can complain, but nobody really listens. The beatings shall continue until morale improves.
We are absolutely fully in a dystopia, and it ain't gonna end well.
As aways, Ted's take is brilliant. Lemme suggest something else...this is really Zuck's way to defend Instagram, which is increasingly a morass of snake-oil ads (mushrooms!!! Rogan's tonic!!!) and moronic political slogans. Try to find interesting art (its original mission) and let us know how that goes. Kids don't do Zuck; he can read a demographic prediction as well as any other mogul.
We should remember that there's danger in retreating to Substack: the company could kill any 'stack simply by cutting off payments through its credit card cut-out. As far as I know, it hasn't kicked any 'stack for--let's say--advocating fascism, but there's nothing beyond the good will and statements from its owners in SF that they won't do what every other platform has done.
I'm pleased to say that I'm not on any social media sites. I left Facebook 10 yrs. ago and have no need to read about Fred's cocker spaniel's puppies and Julie's THC biscuits. Substack is the only community I subscribe to, and, so far, that's limited to 3 people. Where do people find the time to hang out in cyberville?
You honestly think there's a version of this type of platform that would be immune to eventually morphing into the same partisan echo chambers that TV, magazines, newspapers and movies became? Places appealing to "our kind of people"? This is worse...they have your livelihood and your private info just in case King Zuk's minions decide to discipline you. The devil that is digital is anti human. Can't help but feel, as my email in box fills everyday with writers I pay and some I don't, that this too will fade. Nobody has that many good ideas in them. The immediacy and abundance that it requires to be popular online will tax the creative spirit of anyone. Content is diminished by velocity. Good takes time to write and to read. Be first, be loud, be outrageous or risk anonymity, a fate worse than a real job.
Ted, you (and anyone else reading this) are welcome to join us on Mastodon, where they collect no information about you whatsoever, and there are no ads. You can see how many people have shared your posts. Because there’s no ads, there’s no incentive to keep readers constantly engaged, so there are much fewer incendiary outrage posts. Here’s a great instance which focuses on jazz:
Thank-you for a timely reminder that Facebook is evil, which also had the effect of making me remember that Zuck needed a booster seat when testifying before Congress.
"This is downright amusing. These social media sites track everything I do—but still they don’t seem to know that I’ve never bought anything from Nike or Victoria’s Secret. And never will."
I agree! I find it very amusing that despite the vast troves of data the Meta empire certainly have about me, the vast majority of ads are misses, and the only direct hits are ads for......stuff I just bought minutes before 👏 slow clap 👏 How DO they manage to do it??
This is the thing that gets me: "This is downright amusing. These social media sites track everything I do—but still they don’t seem to know that I’ve never bought anything from Nike or Victoria’s Secret. And never will."
Years ago someone--and I can't recall who--said something along the lines of, "Facebook has a billion users in it's 'community' and the only thing they can think to do with them is show them ads."
Substack so far seems more in line with the promise of the internet in its early days.
"Or why can’t I access Threads with a desktop or laptop computer browser?"
Because one of the primary functions of Threads is to put a tracking app on a device that you carry with you everywhere so your actual location information can be harvested and sold.
Explains so much better than I ever could, why I'm not signing up. Thank you Ted.
I've sworn off all corporate-owned social media. That includes Threads, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, BlueSky and all the others.
Very happy presently on Mastodon. No algorithms and no ads! No Zuckerberg and no Musk!
You honestly joined a new social media platform from one of the biggest tech firms out there with ‘innocent enthusiasm’? In this day and age? What on earth did you expect?
Zuckerberg has always been a shithead. From day one. In a different environment he might have been an Incel, except he was "Harvard material." Unattractive and socially inept. Revenge of the Nerds and all that. Remember FB started as a way for he and his fellow geeks to rate women at Harvard. But with all his wealth, look who he married. True love, and per Wikipedia she's a "non-denominational Buddhist." Well I told my bandmate I chuckle every time I sing the lyrics to "Imagine" with that part of no possessions- Lennon didn't exactly do that now did he? Nor did dear Yoko. In fact with all their financial missteps she's still nearly a billionaire.
We just swap out the Z for an F. But there's something in the algorithm that makes it incredible that no other company has managed to compete with FB.
A friend posted (on FB) that Vice employees are spilling the beans something about their NDAs being null and void, so we can see what a shitshow it was. I responded that EVERYTHING is a shitshow these days. And nobody really has a clue what to do about any of it. I know, bread and circuses, but I like my sports. At least I used to . . . but even ESPN has become unwatchable and unreadable.
You can complain, but nobody really listens. The beatings shall continue until morale improves.
We are absolutely fully in a dystopia, and it ain't gonna end well.
As aways, Ted's take is brilliant. Lemme suggest something else...this is really Zuck's way to defend Instagram, which is increasingly a morass of snake-oil ads (mushrooms!!! Rogan's tonic!!!) and moronic political slogans. Try to find interesting art (its original mission) and let us know how that goes. Kids don't do Zuck; he can read a demographic prediction as well as any other mogul.
We should remember that there's danger in retreating to Substack: the company could kill any 'stack simply by cutting off payments through its credit card cut-out. As far as I know, it hasn't kicked any 'stack for--let's say--advocating fascism, but there's nothing beyond the good will and statements from its owners in SF that they won't do what every other platform has done.
Trust--but verify.
I'm pleased to say that I'm not on any social media sites. I left Facebook 10 yrs. ago and have no need to read about Fred's cocker spaniel's puppies and Julie's THC biscuits. Substack is the only community I subscribe to, and, so far, that's limited to 3 people. Where do people find the time to hang out in cyberville?
You honestly think there's a version of this type of platform that would be immune to eventually morphing into the same partisan echo chambers that TV, magazines, newspapers and movies became? Places appealing to "our kind of people"? This is worse...they have your livelihood and your private info just in case King Zuk's minions decide to discipline you. The devil that is digital is anti human. Can't help but feel, as my email in box fills everyday with writers I pay and some I don't, that this too will fade. Nobody has that many good ideas in them. The immediacy and abundance that it requires to be popular online will tax the creative spirit of anyone. Content is diminished by velocity. Good takes time to write and to read. Be first, be loud, be outrageous or risk anonymity, a fate worse than a real job.
Ted, you (and anyone else reading this) are welcome to join us on Mastodon, where they collect no information about you whatsoever, and there are no ads. You can see how many people have shared your posts. Because there’s no ads, there’s no incentive to keep readers constantly engaged, so there are much fewer incendiary outrage posts. Here’s a great instance which focuses on jazz:
https://jazztodon.com/invite/FgqJx8WX
Thank-you for a timely reminder that Facebook is evil, which also had the effect of making me remember that Zuck needed a booster seat when testifying before Congress.
Ok not so sad that we were kicked off in the EU a few days ago. You make it very clear for me I’m not missing out!
I'm nobody's sheep—so I won't be joining Threads.
I have many regrets about joining so fast and not realizing how welded it was to Instagram. I just wanted to try it! It’s boring.
"This is downright amusing. These social media sites track everything I do—but still they don’t seem to know that I’ve never bought anything from Nike or Victoria’s Secret. And never will."
I agree! I find it very amusing that despite the vast troves of data the Meta empire certainly have about me, the vast majority of ads are misses, and the only direct hits are ads for......stuff I just bought minutes before 👏 slow clap 👏 How DO they manage to do it??
I’m no communist, but if you can’t quote a communist in a time of emperors, when can you?
‘The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.' Antonio Gramsci