How Evil is Social Media?

[Pilotman]

'Evil' is an evocative word, but I do believe that there is more 'evil ' in social media than there is good.  Not all technological advances are to the  general benefit of human kind. We can't wind back the clock on such malevolent  influences as Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram, etc and the rest of those platforms, that do much more damage to individuals than good, but I so wish that we could. I don't doubt that  I will get trolled unmercifully for my views, but I do believe that the social media 'revolution' will end in tears, if it hasn't done so already. 

 

Well it is a Sunday, so a day for lazy debate over afternoon beers by the pool. 

[CharlieH]

Always two sides to a coin.

 

I am not surprised that some (many?) choose to avoid such platforms.

[DaLa]

Depends which forum you're on. I find Quora quite friendly and some technical and musical ones reasonable. Have to say the ones that lean towards the US are frequently quite angst ridden. This one has a few members that are at war with each other , especially when it comes to politics. Then there are ones, for example the Guardian where it's frequented by a majority of 1 side that shout down any opposing opinion.

 

I personally try not to voice too strong an  opinion  and just give advice if I can.  What does concern me is that despite all the readily information on the internet ( and not just from 1 source) that some posters are pretty ignorant of the facts.

 

At my age I can't work physically all day, I'm  not bothered about playing or watching sport, my fingers hurt after 2 hours on the guitar...so social media passes the time until beer o'clock.

[Tarteso]

Here at home, there are enough technological equipment such as computers, iPhones, Ipad and TV for entertainment platforms ... but I do not use or need any social networks ... Maybe I am one of those guys who with the exception confirms the rule.

[Dumbastheycome]

2 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

Here at home, there are enough technological equipment such as computers, iPhones, Ipad and TV for entertainment platforms ... but I do not use or need any social networks ... Maybe I am one of those guys who with the exception confirms the rule.

Are you not  making such comment on a social media platform? About technical devices  that enable social media? Television is a social media but not so interactive.

I guess the question put in the OP is about the overall social impact.

Like most things that  gain a popular appeal there is always the "abuse" factor.

 

[CharlieH]

Post removed.

 

16) You will not make changes to quoted material from other members posts, except for purposes of shortening the quoted post. This cannot be done in such a manner that it alters the context of the original post.

[Tarteso]

10 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Are you not  making such comment on a social media platform? About technical devices  that enable social media? Television is a social media but not so interactive.

I guess the question put in the OP is about the overall social impact.

Like most things that  gain a popular appeal there is always the "abuse" factor.

Right, but I mean the options described in OP "Facebook, Twiter or Instagram".  TV is used for platforms like Netflix, Youtube, Play station....and Thaivisa is used exclusively for information about what happens in the country of the smile, which is where I currently reside

Edited November 15, 2020 by Tarteso

[Surelynot]

It is very like Communism and religion.....social media is all fine and dandy as long as human beings are not involved.

[from the home of CC]

what surprises me is the number of folks who depend so much on the approval of others..

[Dumbastheycome]

9 minutes ago, Tarteso said:

Right, but I mean the options described in OP "Facebook, Twiter or Instagram".  TV is used for platforms like Netflix, Youtube, Play station....and Thaivisa is used exclusively for information about what happens in the country of the smile, which is where I currently reside

I do not understand the  basis of  your reply. Social media that is interactive  allows  for( within prescribed parameters..lol) expression of opinion as does  TVF which is  not limited  to information revolving around issues in Thailand. But  interactive  or not there is the element of  mis-dis-information , decieptful persuation, etc  that exists across the  board of  media .

It is  now  at the point where the exposure  of people en-masse to genuine or false information is almost at a point where it is beyond realistic capacity  to  distinguish.

While some of the  major  platforms  have introduced warnings or labellings  of  some  content in the  full knowledge it is misleading but in defense of the  holy  grail of  rights for expression of opinion ( and revenue) .

Rarer events  are the elimination of  undeniable proven  falsehoods.

[Surelynot]

10 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

what surprises me is the number of folks who depend so much on the approval of others..

Would you like me to like that?

[from the home of CC]

3 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Would you like me to like that?

nah, if i wanted likes I would of wrote something anti Thailand..

[Stocky]

 

Quote

How Evil is Social Media?

Tis the very Devil incarnate.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

About 20 years ago I was on this site called Digg. It had an upvote/downvote system, and it was eventually revealed they manipulated it in favor of their sponsors. This led to their demise, but other sites came to replace it, and they've all been doing it more carefully since. Thus you can't expect the straight story. The modern equivalent would be Reddit, which I tried and gave up as I found it to be an echo chamber. Can't have the slightest differing opinion, even if you're on the same side.

 

I'm sad to say I often visit 4chan, rightfully called by many the toilet of the Internet. I try to ignore all the racism, extremism, and nasty stuff they post, but at least there you get straight, unfiltered opinions, especially considering companies, countries, and notable figures likely to be censored elsewhere. They're also often on top of breaking news before it hits the MSM.

 

I used to love the Yahoo News comments, they were a lot more insightful than the news articles themselves. I guess that's why they shut them down a few years ago.

 

I thankfully never got into Facebook. I've watched it corrupt both friends and family, dramatically altering their personalities, as they suddenly discovered they had an audience to perform for, more preferable than engaging in real life. That's why it's a particularly bad thing for kids, being handed phones by indifferent parents at earlier and earlier ages. An obsession with that scroll kills their social and academic development. In class, students can barely put the phone down for a second as I push them to write a few words, clutching it like a crack pipe. Schools claim to have strict policies on this, but like many other things about them, it's just for show.

 

Yes, truly evil, with unfortunately no sign of slowing down. There have been news stories about kids killing their parents over video games being taken away. I guess it'll take a bit more of that, tied to social media, for more to bother with it.

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

nah, if i wanted likes I would of wrote something anti Thailand..

I would have written something similar!   LOL

[Lacessit]

The only social media platform I am on is TV, mainly for entertainment, and because I am anonymous. LinkedIn is irrelevant for a retired person. Facebook is for narcissists, Twitter is for twits. Have never joined either.

[johnnybangkok]

I'm sorry to report to many of you but social media is here to stay and like all forms of communication and 'news' it can be manipulated and harmful IF you allow it.

Too many people use it just for an echo chamber, to either back up their 'out there' view-point or confirm their previously unpopular bias (which is what the political manipulators rely on) and do little or nothing about checking the verasity of news stories. But as social media evolves so will fact checking with the likes of Twitter and FB already posting warning signs or banning the more prominent of the offenders (see Trump, David Ike, Alex Jones and their ilk).  

Personally I use FB to keep in contact with friends in far flung places and I get a lot of scientific and business news by 'liking' the right sites. I also find it quite entertaining with plenty of comedy to be had again if you look in the right place. Also, and I think this is particularly important, most of my friends are not stupid enough to put VERY controversial views out there for everyone to see and think like I do, those that do are just seen as either daft or particularly naive (the internet doesn't forget after all). I've never really got into many others such as Twitter, Tik Tok etc but social media is what you make it and if you have the common sense to filter out the extreme (obviously a problem for some) and the intelligence to not take too much of it that seriously, it's no different than going to a pub and navigating through the myriad of different personalities and opinions you find there. Albeit a slightly larger one.

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

3 hours ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Are you not  making such comment on a social media platform? About technical devices  that enable social media? Television is a social media but not so interactive.

I guess the question put in the OP is about the overall social impact.

Like most things that  gain a popular appeal there is always the "abuse" factor.

 

No, he is not! You are not to include a forum in social media platforms.

[Dumbastheycome]

5 minutes ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

No, he is not! You are not to include a forum in social media platforms.

Oh!  Wow! Interesting ! Perhaps  you  could present a definitive reason?

[Kwasaki]

Not know what this is about but I like say what I like and post vids I like on facebook messager.

Summic you can't do here.

[Dumbastheycome]

3 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

Not know what this is about but I like say what I like and post vids I like on facebook messager.

Summic you can't do here.

But  on Messenger  you post  to  specific  people  rather  than an open  unless  you  choose to do so.

TVF  content  is available  to  the  world in content  without "membership".

[1FinickyOne]

There is an in depth documentary on Netflix that goes into this... The Social Dilemma - recently released. 

 

It explains a lot. 

[Dagfinnur Traustason]

7 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Oh!  Wow! Interesting ! Perhaps  you  could present a definitive reason?

You might think it´s interesting. The simple answer is that you have blogs with comment sections, which is one type of online communication. After that you have forums, which usually serves the purpose of beeing informative and helful for people. As a third there is social media platforms, that is more advanced with greater functions as well as a wider variety of information and open personal profiles.

 

If you draw the line that all is same, then so be it for you.

[oldhippy]

OP: how-evil-is-social-media

Answer: very evil

 

The much more important question: how evil are the owners of social media?

 

[Dumbastheycome]

1 minute ago, Dagfinnur Traustason said:

You might think it´s interesting. The simple answer is that you have blogs with comment sections, which is one type of online communication. After that you have forums, which usually serves the purpose of beeing informative and helful for people. As a third there is social media platforms, that is more advanced with greater functions as well as a wider variety of information and open personal profiles.

 

If you draw the line that all is same, then so be it for you.

So where  does  your post addressed to me fit into your  definition of  categories  ?

Is it a  comment of opinion, informative, or in the realm of "more" ?

 

[swissie]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

The only social media platform I am on is TV, mainly for entertainment, and because I am anonymous. LinkedIn is irrelevant for a retired person. Facebook is for narcissists, Twitter is for twits. Have never joined either.

My sentiments exactly. Have looked at those media platforms and came to a very basic conclusion: I HAVE NO USE FOR IT. As simple as that.

[Dumbastheycome]

3 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

OP: how-evil-is-social-media

Answer: very evil

 

The much more important question: how evil are the owners of social media?

 

Very hungry evil Lizards?

[oldhippy]

3 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

Very hungry evil Lizards?

Not sure why you use the word lizards  - since that word is corona / David Icke) connected.

But those people would without any doubt do anything for money.

[Dumbastheycome]

2 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

Not sure why you use the word lizards  - since that word is corona / David Icke) connected.

But those people would without any doubt do anything for money.

lol. It was a  tongue in cheek association with some dated fringe opinion. But despite that  whenever I see  a certain individual  representing the interests of a specific  mainstream social media platform I involuntarily have had to acknowledge the visual  basis of the fringe beliefs.

[bwpage3]

For all of us old enough to remember life before the internet and social media, to me life was much better.

 

How many trillions of hours do people around the world waste every year on the internet when they could be outside enjoying life?

 

Social media has spurred all kinds of hatred groups.

 

The advent of the Like Button on FB, means people can be even lazier. They don't even have to comment any more.

 

I deleted 99% of all social media, have a couple life long friends and family.

 

Never post anything because no one cares.

 

I certainly enjoyed life much better prior to the internet and social media.

 

People would actually get off their <deleted> and go visit others.

 

The other thing is there is SO MUCH misinformation out there it is very dangerous.

 

Way to many scams from people trying to make money online.