💾 Archived View for gemini.complete.org › social-media captured on 2024-07-09 at 00:59:14. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
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Technology that supposedly is designed to connect people to each other. Facebook, Twitter, and maybe Youtube are examples.
In reality, most commercial social media platforms seem to be causing a lot of harm; in some cases, manipulating or exploiting people psychologically for profit. They particularly exploit your attention, which is how they make money, driving the Attention Economy[1].
Free Software[2] alternatives such as Mastodon[3] (and perhaps even Usenet[4]) don't have this incentive and, while not perfect, at least aren't actively trying to manipulate people for profit.
See:
5: /how-the-attention-economy-hurts-you-via-social-media-sites-like-facebook/
6: /how-to-join-the-fediverse-and-cast-off-the-attention-economy/
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The loose, decentralized confederation of non-profit Social Media[8] sites such as Mastodon[9], Pixelfed, and PeerTube. They all use ActivityPub for federation.
10: /how-the-attention-economy-hurts-you-via-social-media-sites-like-facebook/
*This was originally published as a post on my blog[11]. This version is intended to be kept up-to-date with developments, and is edited from the original.*
12: /how-to-join-the-fediverse-and-cast-off-the-attention-economy/
*This started as a post on my blog[13]. This edited version is intended to be kept more up-to-date.*
Profiting from convincing (or, perhaps more accurately, "manipulating") people to pay attention. Big Social Media[15] sites like Facebook are part of the attention economy: you pay nothing to use the site. In fact, you are the product; they sell your attention to advertisers, and therefore design their product to maximize their profits by manipulating you to spend more time on the site[16].
16: /how-the-attention-economy-hurts-you-via-social-media-sites-like-facebook/
Mastodon is a Free Software[18], decentralized, global Social Media[19] network. Unlike the other major ones, it is not a part of the Attention Economy[20], and generally has no ads.
I am a programmer, manager, hobbyist, advocate, volunteer, dad, and nature lover. I live out on an old farmstead in rural Kansas[22] that once belonged to my grandparents. The nearest paved road is about 3 miles away, and the nearest town (population 600) is 7 miles away. I have three incredible children, which I might occasionally mention on my blog[23].
23: https://changelog.complete.org/
24: /recovering-our-lost-free-will-online-tools-and-techniques-that-are-available-now/
*This started out at a post on my blog[25]. This edited version is intended to be kept more up-to-date.*
(c) 2022-2024 John Goerzen