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.
Yes! I had all kinds of irrelevant accounts recommended to me. Being in these online worlds feels very random and chaotic and I am reevaluating the usefulness of these platforms for both my writing and my professional roles. Alas I signed onto Threads right before reading this article. So careless! Given that I've been terribly frustrated with IG I'm not quite sure why I did it except possibly in hopes to get *something* out of the Meta world. Ted, would love to know more about whether you see hope on the horizon re the emergence of more honorable platforms such as Substack. Really I think we want it to look more like life - in face to face networking, givers tend to gain. Making connections and supporting other's work supports our own as long as there is a genuine resonance.
"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.
Yes, but for keeping tracking of a person's physical location, you want their cellphone location as they take their phone everywhere, whereas people leave their desktop, and often their laptop, in one place and never move it.
I moved to mastodon.social after deleting my Twitter account of 12 years. I had already signed up with several Substack writers and have found the two to share a similar vibe. Lots of cooperation, little controversy and best of all *friendly* competition. Find the server that best fits your wants and needs but know you can freely move between them.
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.
I really wish you wouldn't drag "unattractive and socially inept" into this. I agree that Z has always been a shithead, but being unattractive does not make one into a shithead. Nor does being socially inept. In fact, I know some people who are pretty high on the spectrum, which makes them spectacularly socially inept, and they are actually very giving, generous people. (Though easy to mistake for shitheads in brief conversations).
I've always been of the opinion that people online making comment about other people's appearance should be required to attach a current photo of themselves. Of course, no platform has or will implement that requirement. But they should.
I've not met Zuckerberg, I don't know if he's socially inept.
And why the mockery of his wife, and her religion, who apart from being a Buddhist is a pediatrician, and was the first person in her family to graduate college.
Buddhists don't take a vow of poverty, anymore than than Catholics do. Chan met Zuckerberg in the same year that he created FB, long before he was a billionaire, 11 years before the IPO. Why the need to sneer at the idea that this stranger to you might actually love her husband.
John Lennon was a total fraud. It makes my stomach churn to hear him singing "Give peace a chance" knowing that he literally nearly beat his best friend to death leaving him permanently disabled. And then there's the story of poor Julian's upbringing....
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 a little bummed that zuck connected the two because in my fantasy, Instagram would have been sold to somebody else. And I say this because I'm an artist and am on it for that reason only. The ads are silly, no doubt.
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:
I thought it sounded interesting too, so I checked out the link. I don't even get a chance to see what it is all about. Looks like I have to sign up to even see if I like it. No Thanks
Thanks, what I don’t really understand about mastodon is that I have an account but when I click on your link it wants me to set up a jazztodon mastodon account. I don’t really understand these subgroups on mastodon. Is your link an invite to join mastodon or to your group? Thanks
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.
You know, I really don't like Zuck very much, nor do I like FB/Meta or their business plan. But how does Mark's height have anything at all to do with anything?
I'm a short guy. I'm a techie, too. I'm not MZ, but you just made me into him.
How is there another way to look at this than Facebook sheep to Zuckerberg slaughter, bah bah bahing all the way about how they don't trust the shepherd?
How is there another way to look at this than Facebook sheep to Zuckerberg slaughter, bah bah bahing all the way about how they don't trust the shepherd?
"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.
I'd say the reason you can only access Threads via an app is to thwart ad blockers.
Yes! I had all kinds of irrelevant accounts recommended to me. Being in these online worlds feels very random and chaotic and I am reevaluating the usefulness of these platforms for both my writing and my professional roles. Alas I signed onto Threads right before reading this article. So careless! Given that I've been terribly frustrated with IG I'm not quite sure why I did it except possibly in hopes to get *something* out of the Meta world. Ted, would love to know more about whether you see hope on the horizon re the emergence of more honorable platforms such as Substack. Really I think we want it to look more like life - in face to face networking, givers tend to gain. Making connections and supporting other's work supports our own as long as there is a genuine resonance.
"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.
And, yes, they can track your desktop or laptop too. Not a problem.
Yes, but for keeping tracking of a person's physical location, you want their cellphone location as they take their phone everywhere, whereas people leave their desktop, and often their laptop, in one place and never move it.
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!
Thanks, Mastodon looks really interesting.
I moved to mastodon.social after deleting my Twitter account of 12 years. I had already signed up with several Substack writers and have found the two to share a similar vibe. Lots of cooperation, little controversy and best of all *friendly* competition. Find the server that best fits your wants and needs but know you can freely move between them.
Swearing off is our only power....
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.
I really wish you wouldn't drag "unattractive and socially inept" into this. I agree that Z has always been a shithead, but being unattractive does not make one into a shithead. Nor does being socially inept. In fact, I know some people who are pretty high on the spectrum, which makes them spectacularly socially inept, and they are actually very giving, generous people. (Though easy to mistake for shitheads in brief conversations).
Thank you for saying this 💜
I've always been of the opinion that people online making comment about other people's appearance should be required to attach a current photo of themselves. Of course, no platform has or will implement that requirement. But they should.
I've not met Zuckerberg, I don't know if he's socially inept.
And why the mockery of his wife, and her religion, who apart from being a Buddhist is a pediatrician, and was the first person in her family to graduate college.
Buddhists don't take a vow of poverty, anymore than than Catholics do. Chan met Zuckerberg in the same year that he created FB, long before he was a billionaire, 11 years before the IPO. Why the need to sneer at the idea that this stranger to you might actually love her husband.
John Lennon was a total fraud. It makes my stomach churn to hear him singing "Give peace a chance" knowing that he literally nearly beat his best friend to death leaving him permanently disabled. And then there's the story of poor Julian's upbringing....
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 a little bummed that zuck connected the two because in my fantasy, Instagram would have been sold to somebody else. And I say this because I'm an artist and am on it for that reason only. The ads are silly, no doubt.
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?
I, like you, am not on any Social Media. I have never been on even Facebook. No Way
I'd rather sleep than spend my time on social media.
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
"Let's get you set up on jazztodon.com.
With an account on this Mastodon server, you'll be able to follow any other person on the network, regardless of where their account is hosted."
----
What if I don't want to follow anyone?
I thought it sounded interesting too, so I checked out the link. I don't even get a chance to see what it is all about. Looks like I have to sign up to even see if I like it. No Thanks
Is that an ad?
This sounded interesting, I love jazz, so I joined. Any other recommendations? 😁 Thank you!
Thanks, what I don’t really understand about mastodon is that I have an account but when I click on your link it wants me to set up a jazztodon mastodon account. I don’t really understand these subgroups on mastodon. Is your link an invite to join mastodon or to your group? Thanks
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.
You know, I really don't like Zuck very much, nor do I like FB/Meta or their business plan. But how does Mark's height have anything at all to do with anything?
I'm a short guy. I'm a techie, too. I'm not MZ, but you just made me into him.
Would you use a booster seat if called upon to testify before Congress?
How is there another way to look at this than Facebook sheep to Zuckerberg slaughter, bah bah bahing all the way about how they don't trust the shepherd?
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.
How is there another way to look at this than Facebook sheep to Zuckerberg slaughter, bah bah bahing all the way about how they don't trust the shepherd?
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