Apparently, activists need something that is "open, decentralized, and user controlled". Those activists choose to use facebook. That tells me they are at least one of two things:

1. Too stupid to make a plan that could possibly work

2. Too lazy to execute on a plan that could possibly work

Knowing this is a useful signal. It tells me their judgment is terrible, and I should not listen to them ;)

> Apparently, activists need something that is "open, decentralized, and user controlled". Those activists choose to use facebook. That tells me they are at least one of two things:

> 1. Too stupid to make a plan that could possibly work

> 2. Too lazy to execute on a plan that could possibly work

Your comment is a pretty good example of what not to do: society/technology makes good choices harder, so flog individuals about their lack of self-discipline when they don't do yet-another hard thing. People only have so much time and self-discipline, have some empathy.

The only thing the flogging does is give the flogger the chance to feel unjustifiably superior.

> Knowing this is a useful signal. It tells me their judgment is terrible, and I should not listen to them ;)

What you're doing is a generalized method to dismiss anything and anyone:

1. Find a thing.

2. Search for some aspect that isn't perfect. Viciously criticize that aspect.

3. Dismiss the whole thing on account of that aspect.

The only thing that using Instagram tells me about these activists is that they weren't setting out to solve some ideological communication technology problem. They had other priorities.

Above all, activists need something that other people are on.

TFA (and you) are just discounting the power of network effects. Tells me that your judgment is poor and I should not listen to you ;)

This is overly harsh; it starts with the (flawed IMO) perspective that people are dedicated "professional" activists rather than amateurs from many different backgrounds who come together around something they care about and grow/evolve/deppen over time. It makes complete sense that they use tools in front of them AND don't necessarily get -what are quite subtle angles to most - all the issues with their use. It doesn't make them lazy or stupid, but if you have the skills & talents to help with this yet do nothing you might be projecting...

More likely these activists chose the most convenient platform for getting their message out. IG is popular and that makes it an obvious choice. Also keep in mind that activists will generally use what they are already familiar with, and Facebook runs three of the most popular platforms i.e. platforms that activists were probably already using before they became activists.

The only reason activists would switch to something else is if Facebook gives them a reason to do so. I doubt this one incident is enough of a reason.

They need to reach people where they are, so basically all the platforms where people hang out. It's not the activists who are lazy - it's people in general, who continue to use FB even though it is cluttered with ads and other distractions.

It's because the corporations were all banding together to censor their opponents a few years ago, so they got used to the idea that large corporations are your friends. The left took an opportunistic stance on this instead of a principled one, despite the fact that they're the side that on paper is supposedly opposed to letting corporations turn into pseudo-governments.

They don't organize over Instagram. One of many social accounts had issues. Around 3000 communities participated. They are doing fine.

3. they are non-technical people who go where an audience already is

ah yes. Because they don't know technology their movement has no useful information for you and you already know better than all of them.

Amazing.