About social networks

[TheFuzzStone]

Hello, my crypto friends!

I often read this part of the forum, so I decided to create a thread that I care about and want to hear your opinion about it. I want to talk with you about social networks, which undoubtedly became an important part of life in the 21st century, but how much is it worth? There's no point in leaving links to the latest Facebook scandals here now, hit "facebook scandal" and you'll see it all.

Why do so many people continue to use Facebook after so many scandals? I've asked some of my friends this question, a little opinion poll. Most of them replied that they stay on Facebook because there are their friends/families/associates/relatives/robot colleagues, etc.

My next question was, what do they think and how do they feel about the fact that Facebook collects tons of information about them? Most of them answered with my most hated words: "I'm fine with that. I have nothing to hide.". I don't want to start a monologue on "I have nothing to hide" now, and the third question was, do they really like UI/UX Facebook? Most of them answered that they don't like it. And a few more said that they were faced with censorship on Facebook... Why so many people keep using it?

I asked people why they wouldn't move to another platform together with their friends and relatives. And here everybody said they didn't know where to...

We all like open source, tell me, how many of you use open source social networks? Now I do not mean any social network on "blockchain" and "smart contracts", with a "super-advanced economic model", where you are paid for the activity (tokens) -- it's bullshit, marasmus and most likely that tomorrow there will be the next ICO with such a project, which is already born dead (or fraudulent).

Now I have in mind the Fediverse. A cool and really special open source world without crypto-tokens and fake decentralization. And you know what? It works perfectly (still without tokens) and is ready to replace Twitter and Facebook right now, for you and your friends.

If one of you hasn't heard of Mastodon and you're too lazy to search the web for information and read, watch this video. If you follow the link, you will see the PeerTube service. What is this? This is a cool open source project (without tokens and blockchain), see more information here. And, yes, besides open source you can also send YouTube with its censorship in the ass. You can also send Facebook with its censorship in the ass, just go and invite your friends to HubZilla or Frendica.

For those who like Instagrams model and philosophy, you can replace it with an open source alternative -- PixelFed.

Here you will find more useful information --> https://fediverse.party/

I have one more question about the favorite social network of most crypto-enthusiasts, "privacy advocates", etc. - Twitter. Why isn't the open source alternative Mastodon? Because of the number of subscribers? Well, you can tell your subscribers, "I'm moving to another platform. Follow me on Mastodon!"

Any service without its users is not worth anything. So why not invite your friends, switch to open source alternatives that will not collect data about you and sell them to third parties?

Tell me, which one of you "lives" in Fediverse?

[1713891249]

1713891249

[Vod]

So why not invite your friends, switch to open source alternatives that will not collect data about you and sell them to third parties?

Because I don't need social media to chat with friends.  I use social media to connect with long lost pals.  What platform is larger than Facebook?

[TheFuzzStone]

Because I don't need social media to chat with friends.

Well, the social network does not exist only to communicate with old friends, but also to find new friends, new services (businesses), events, etc.
If you and your friends have moved to some open source area, that's cool. Did you make them generate GPG keys? Or do you communicate in RetroShare? Tox? Ricochet?

I use social media to connect with long lost pals.

In this situation, it's probably a problem, because you're not going to find your friends in Fediverse. And it's asd.

What platform is larger than Facebook?

Unfortunately, it is currently the largest social network in the world.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

well, for me personally, i dislike facebook for the same reasons you mentioned in your post, but you should understand facebook has been here for long as such, its a major big player in the space and it will be hard for any other up and coming to take over, you know as someone already said here , one major advantage facebook has over the rest (including the ones you mentioned) is that is very possible to find your long lost contacts and loved ones on facebook and connect with them back , i guess this is one of the major reasons why after the whole scandals , people still cant do without facebook including myself.

[crwth]

I don't deny that I like Open Source projects and stuff, but the thing that Social Network has is reaching towards disconnected people. I do believe that it had filled the gap between communication, but it opened all sort of things as well, not just positive ones, all negative stuff as well. One thing that I love about social networks is that is almost everyone is on there. The problem with that now is that they all have the power to control you with ads, etc. But that's the thing, and you could choose to ignore it. It's just another way to practice self-control.

The thing that I don't like on Social Media platforms are the ones where a person posts like this.

• "I am a good person." *Post something about doing good deeds*
• "I'm sharing this because everyone needs to know about this information"

Those types of posts are what I hate the most. It's like, I know you are not doing that, or you did, but it's just for show. It affects a person abilities to have the thought of approval with another with the use of *hearts*, *likes*, etc. It's just those things that are not worthy of spending time on.

I think the problem with having to participate in what you shared, the Fediverse, is that people might be overwhelmed to a new thing that's almost with the same purpose. Upon clicking the party link, I don't understand what to do. Don't get me wrong but I like the idea of it, it's just not I'm not ready to learn something new, and I might have a hard time understanding it or something.

I think using Facebook is easy and would like to stay as it is. The data gathering is a bad ploy but I think it wouldn't stop everyone from using the so-called networking app.

[TheFuzzStone]

but you should understand facebook has been here for long as such

I understand that. But that doesn't change the fact that there are alternatives now, but it's easier for people to complain about Facebook than to find an alternative for themselves and their friends.

people still cant do without facebook including myself

Just a question. If your circle of communication leaves Facebook, will Facebook still be valuable to you?

The thing that I don't like on Social Media platforms are the ones where a person posts like this.
~snip~

I don't deny the fact that Fediverse doesn't have junk content. It is there. But the point is (except for the open source, the lack of personal information collection, etc.) that you can choose the instance that best suits to your interests. In this way, your local feed will probably be filled with interesting content for you.

For example, I like FOSS, and I don't like anime. It makes sense to create an account where there are people with the same interests. And I did --> https://fosstodon.org/about
Thus, in my local feed I see posts from open source enthusiasts, I can communicate with them, etc.
If I'm interested in anime, which is unlikely, and I want to see posts in my local feed from anime fans, then I'll "pack my suitcase" (export my profile data) and move to another instance, for anime fans.

It's just those things that are not worthy of spending time on.

I totally agree with you.
I don't monitor social networks every day, especially I don't collect subscribers to advertise some shitty tokens to them or what's being advertised on Twitter right now?

Upon clicking the party link, I don't understand what to do.

Check this video.

Just pick one social network and you can communicate with most network. Which one to choose? It already depends on your preferences. If you like the Facebook format, then look at Pleroma, HubZilla or Frendica. If you like the Twitter format, then look at Mastodon. When you decide on the format of the social network, then you need to choose the instance where to register.

I'm not ready to learn something new

Yeah, I get it. A lot of my friends also said that no matter what Facebook is, they're just accustomed to it, and they don't want to learn anything else. That's their right too.

[Lakai01]

My next question was, what do they think and how do they feel about the fact that Facebook collects tons of information about them? [...]

If the fact, that Facebook collects tons of information bothers you, you would have to immediatly stop using any Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, ... products, too. They all do the same: collecting as much data about their customers as possible. They use the collected data to improve their services (directed ads, "you may be interested in ...", ...) or simply sell them to other companies for a huge amount of money. As soon as you use any of this companies your privacy is gone anyways, you can hardly prevent that.

[TheFuzzStone]

Google

In fact I'm trying to live without Google-account, thanks to F-Droid, YalpStore and Aurora Store.
Mail: ProtonMail
Google Drive: MEGA + Cryptomator + VeraCrypt
Search Engine: DuckDuckGo or SearX, or StartPage, or Disconnect.me
EDIT.
Browser: Firefox

Apple

No, thanks. For the sake of principle, I'll never buy their product.

Microsoft

Windows? Lol, no thanks --> https://distrowatch.com/.
Since 2014 I am using Linux and I do not have any plans to return to Windows.
Mail? Nope.
Cloud? Nope.
Office? Nope, I'm using --> https://www.onlyoffice.com/
What else does Microsoft have? Honestly, I can't even remember.

Amazon

I'm from Ukraine and it's not easy for me to buy something from Amazon. On the other hand, there is no need. I don't have their account and I don't plan to have one.

[Arian247]

So why not invite your friends, switch to open source alternatives that will not collect data about you and sell them to third parties?

Because I don't need social media to chat with friends.  I use social media to connect with long lost pals.  What platform is larger than Facebook?

Apparently none so for now we're stuck with Facebook but let's face it practically all sites including the so called open source still find a way to get your personal information and data