| ▲ | aidenn0 9 hours ago |
| I like that this article at least links to a document with the features they want under scrutiny, but they do avoid a definition, and nearly all networked systems have at least some of the features in the document[1]. Is google docs social media? It certainly has social features and I've been witness to cyber-bullying via a shared google doc. What about Spotify? It has social features far beyond just sharing playlists WhatsApp? Discord? MMS? 1: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GVO7sNuCNmNwqVK64PHQ... |
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| ▲ | kybernetikos 7 hours ago | parent | next [-] |
| As you say 'social media' is not a good category, we should specify exactly the things that are concerning. Here are the ones where I'm concerned about their effect on young people: 1. a user is shown new content based on extensive profiling and a secret algorithm that the user does not control 2. a users activity can be discovered and tracked by people that intend to take advantage of the user 3. the operation of the site is optimised for addiction (or more euphemistically "attention") I absolutely don't think that a book club or a kids own website comments or person to person chat systems should be included in the rules. Note - I'm not saying these things should be banned, just that I think it's reasonable to restrict their use to adults. |
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| ▲ | dkdcio 5 hours ago | parent [-] | | …why do all of those things happen? to sell paid digital advertisement. remove that incentive and I suspect the “social media” problems largely go away | | |
| ▲ | callc 2 hours ago | parent [-] | | I wish. In reality, a large enough group of people on the internet starts to turn sour. Especially with anonymity. Especially without a specific purpose like a book club. Especially without moderation. Small groups where you know everyone is where it’s at. To avoid internet stalkers and bullies, and for general quality of the community。 Our brains are built for small communities, not billions. |
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| ▲ | dleslie 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| The simple answer is that children should not have access to a cell phone at their leisure, or unmonitored access to a computer or tablet. Access should be limited, purposeful, and monitored when possible. |
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| ▲ | aidenn0 an hour ago | parent [-] | | I agree with you; without the overwhelming majority of society agreeing with you it's not possible though because if one kid has a free access to a cell phone, then every person in their friend-group now has free access to that cell phone. |
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| ▲ | giancarlostoro 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-] |
| Discord is 100% social media. Just like WhatsApp. MSN definitely was, remember MSN Groups? MSN Chat (the IRC knock off), and a bunch of other things. As someone who has consumed social media and chat platforms, I will note that most chat platforms are social media in their own regard. Habbo Hotel is another example of social media. :) |
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| ▲ | iso1631 9 hours ago | parent | next [-] | | Is SMS social media? | | |
| ▲ | smlavine 9 hours ago | parent [-] | | No, it is a protocol that allows a user to create their own social network within their Messaging app. | | |
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| ▲ | joe_mamba 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-] | | > Just like WhatsApp. Sorry but I don't consider WhatsApp to be in the social media category since it's just a chat app for your contacts, not an A/B algorithmically driven carousel of media to keep you hooked in and for strangers to hit you up (unless they have your phone number). However I do think Meta will try to slowly make it a social media app. | | |
| ▲ | WA 7 hours ago | parent [-] | | Kids in 5th grade use WhatsApp for entertainment to send hundreds of messages per day filled with memes and slop. From the perspective of one kid in a class chat, this is indistinguishable from an algorithmically curated feed. | | |
| ▲ | joe_mamba 7 hours ago | parent [-] | | > this is indistinguishable from an algorithmically curated feed If a classmate is sending you slop memes, then it's human curated content from an acquaintance, and not algorithmically driven, unless you consider your friends bots. | | |
| ▲ | robot-wrangler 6 hours ago | parent [-] | | Is it? If kids grab the top result of a massively A/B tested algorithmic feed trying hook people and/or maximize the controversy / engagement, then arbitrage it onto another simpler less gamified platform... is that really human curated? There's some truth to the idea that, as long as there is any social media, everything is social media. |
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| ▲ | strathmeyer 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-] |
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