Social media stuff

[Pross]

I used to post on FB regularly but barely bother now other than comments on my running club page. I got completely fed up with it in lockdown and it also made me realise how little I knew my ‘friends’ (probably unsurprisingly as most were school friends I didn’t see for 20 years after GCSEs). I culled all bar family and a few close friends and only really kept the account for a few groups and updates from running club / choirs although those have tended to move to more specific apps now. I also find it a complete mess now, algorithms that appear to have nothing to do with anything I’m interested in but if I stupidly click on one it then chokes my feed with anything remotely similar, post in completely random order, no notifications showing for the few groups I have them turned on for but they then come through after I’ve already seen the subject, getting notifications for people and groups that are switched off. It’s virtually unusable.

WhatsApp is a blessing and a curse and I have pretty much all groups on mute. I tend to use it as a messaging service whilst others treat it as SM hence the muting.

I occasionally use Instagram but only in an old school photo sharing way. Again, Meta have made it a complete mess and it just overlaps with FB so much. It went downhill after it stopped you being able to turn off suggested posts and at the same time the ordering of posts went nuts (can be solved but only by selecting ‘following’ every time you open it). I should thank them really as I used to spend far too much time on SM but they have solved that issue.

So, it is really only you lot on here that benefit from my uttering these days but no need to thank me.

 

[Pblakeney]

I have a grand theory about the internet.

Just turn the f*cker off for a couple of weeks.

Nowt would change l really, but it'd be a fun experiment.

I’m not long back from a cycling holiday where for a week the entire chat was about cycling and the weather. I acknowledge that this would be boring for the vast majority. Only exceptions would be occasional brief light touch on news and maybe an hour on social before sleep.
Got home and first morning my wife had Jeremy Kyle on. How I missed being on holiday.
I made myself immediately busy elsewhere.

 

[briantrumpet]

I'll probably write a few posts about Bluesky, as it really does interest me why it's not really working. Part of it is it's deliberate avoidance of algorithms, which means that average Bsky users don't get the kind of boost that old Twitter used to.

As I wanted it mainly as a source of mixed news, I did a Chasey and signed up to several 'starter packs', so follow about 2000 accounts on a wide range of topics (and UK, EU, France, GB), but as there are no algorithms, it's tricky to navigate methodically.

Anyway, I've got about 730 followers, but only a few have *ever* left a comment. And yet I've discovered, since I've started posting links to my French Blogger blog that a handful do click through (more than leave a bare 'like' on Bsky), but no-one leave a comment on Bsky.

When I raised it on my Bsky profile, I got this rather huffy response:

A bit weird, as he doesn't post anything interesting, and I always replied to his comments on my posts. Was I supposed to 'return the love', one for one, even if his content is less interesting/engaging that watching toilet paper dry? I was also amused that he was watching who I was interacting with or commenting on. Somewhat creepy, if you ask me.

 

[briantrumpet]

I used to post on FB regularly but barely bother now other than comments on my running club page. I got completely fed up with it in lockdown and it also made me realise how little I knew my ‘friends’ (probably unsurprisingly as most were school friends I didn’t see for 20 years after GCSEs). I culled all bar family and a few close friends and only really kept the account for a few groups and updates from running club / choirs although those have tended to move to more specific apps now. I also find it a complete mess now, algorithms that appear to have nothing to do with anything I’m interested in but if I stupidly click on one it then chokes my feed with anything remotely similar, post in completely random order, no notifications showing for the few groups I have them turned on for but they then come through after I’ve already seen the subject, getting notifications for people and groups that are switched off. It’s virtually unusable.

WhatsApp is a blessing and a curse and I have pretty much all groups on mute. I tend to use it as a messaging service whilst others treat it as SM hence the muting.

I occasionally use Instagram but only in an old school photo sharing way. Again, Meta have made it a complete mess and it just overlaps with FB so much. It went downhill after it stopped you being able to turn off suggested posts and at the same time the ordering of posts went nuts (can be solved but only by selecting ‘following’ every time you open it). I should thank them really as I used to spend far too much time on SM but they have solved that issue.

So, it is really only you lot on here that benefit from my uttering these days but no need to thank me.

Would a 'like' be classed as thanking you?

FWIW, I think RJS is effectively only on IG now. Just very busy with work otherwise.

 

[Psamathe]

What about W Social or joining the queue to join (and reserving your chosen ID?

 

[briantrumpet]

What about W Social or joining the queue to join (and reserving your chosen ID?

Applied to join the queue (back in June) and haven't heard anything since. As much out of interest as anything else, but also a Plan B if Bsky disappears into the ether.

 

[Pross]

No-one using Truth Social then?

 

[Pross]

Applied to join the queue (back in June) and haven't heard anything since. As much out of interest as anything else, but also a Plan B if Bsky disappears into the ether.

They’re probably just harvesting data by pretending to be the good guys!

 

[Rusty Nails]

I'll probably write a few posts about Bluesky, as it really does interest me why it's not really working. Part of it is it's deliberate avoidance of algorithms, which means that average Bsky users don't get the kind of boost that old Twitter used to.

As I wanted it mainly as a source of mixed news, I did a Chasey and signed up to several 'starter packs', so follow about 2000 accounts on a wide range of topics (and UK, EU, France, GB), but as there are no algorithms, it's tricky to navigate methodically.

Anyway, I've got about 730 followers, but only a few have *ever* left a comment. And yet I've discovered, since I've started posting links to my French Blogger blog that a handful do click through (more than leave a bare 'like' on Bsky), but no-one leave a comment on Bsky.

When I raised it on my Bsky profile, I got this rather huffy response:

View attachment 17126

A bit weird, as he doesn't post anything interesting, and I always replied to his comments on my posts. Was I supposed to 'return the love', one for one, even if his content is less interesting/engaging that watching toilet paper dry? I was also amused that he was watching who I was interacting with or commenting on. Somewhat creepy, if you ask me.

When over the club, having a drink and chat with friends, we have decided to instigate a system whereby, after every utterance, others will be required to indicate whether they liked or disliked it.
That should give us much more feedback that we can count, compare and analyse to see how we are regarded and improve future contributions.

 

[Psamathe]

Applied to join the queue (back in June) and haven't heard anything since. As much out of interest as anything else, but also a Plan B if Bsky disappears into the ether.

I also joined the queue ages ago but more to reserve/block the name. Also not heard anything but I suspect it is still in the queue as if I ask for the name again it says "not available".

 

[farfromtheland]

i gave up general social media years back, after f-book promoted far-right posts/memes re-posted by my young cousin on emotive issues designed to draw them in.

So i note here that i don't do 'likes' even on special interest forums like this one. I think it is more constructive to engage with and respond to the content.

 

[secretsqirrel]

No-one using Truth Social then?

Well I thought that it is neither truthful or social. So no.

 

[Pblakeney]

I use "likes" quite frequently. Often it is because while I agree I have nothing more to add.
Other times I simply can't be arsed typing. I suspect the latter is more prevalent on SM.

 

[farfromtheland]

I use "likes" quite frequently. Often it is because while I agree I have nothing more to add.
Other times I simply can't be arsed typing. I suspect the latter is more prevalent on SM.

Seems mostly harmless indeed, but it's used as part of the algorithmic feed system so I decided to decline.

 

[First Aspect]

I never did social media at all, other than this, where none of us are actually real people. I have a linkedin out of necessity, but very rarely post. It's more for direct messaging. Also rare.

I drop into the local facetube page via my o.h.'s login under strict instructions not to post anything. I don't think the Cornish would cope well with ascerbic.

It's just a local l news site for me really, for finding out about lost cats, Internet problems and misdelivered parcels. There, I am all caught up.

I still digest news mainly from the online version of news outlets that im familiar with. The echo chamber nature of social media news troubles me - as much as possible i try to browse for myself rather than have Bill, Elon or Jeff collate it for me.