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I think there is a difference between utility driven social media like LinkedIn or Nextdoor (and to an extent messaging apps like WhatsApp if you consider that
by askafriend 11y ago
I think there is a difference between utility driven social media like LinkedIn or Nextdoor (and to an extent messaging apps like WhatsApp if you consider that social media) and apps like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram which are less utility driven and more entertainment driven.
Of course, one can derive utility from the entertainment driven apps, but it's often disproportionate to the gravity of the entertainment and naval gazing that they are optimized for.
Go on LinkedIn or Nextdoor and you see much less of this type of naval gazing. People might be trying to find a job, gain insight into an org, keep their resume updated, with LinkedIn. Or they might be trying to find a babysitter, sell an item, or offer a service/recommendation to their neighbors on Nextdoor. Yes, both platforms have their flaws, but at the end of the day they are indeed driven by and based around a utility rather than naval gazing.
But those too, you have to be careful with in how you use them. I'm not quite sure where I was going with this comment, but I wanted to point out that a distinction and difference does exist between types of social media.
- Pxtl 11y agoNavel. Sorry, you did it twice. Bellybuttons, not warships. Edit: also, I've never heard of Nextdoor. Craigslist w Higher-granularity of location?
- mbrock 11y ago"Belly buttons, not warships." Words to live by.
- Pxtl 11y agohttp://www.glasswings.com.au/comics/ozyandmillie.au/2002/om20020527.html http://www.glasswings.com.au/comics/ozyandmillie.au/2002/om2...
- cholantesh 11y agoNot really; it seems like it's for getting people within a neighbourhood to get to know each other. And, apparently, racial profiling (http://fusion.net/story/106341/nextdoor-the-social-network-for-neighbors-is-becoming-a-home-for-racial-profiling/ http://fusion.net/story/106341/nextdoor-the-social-network-f...).
- askafriend 11y agoYou realize racial profiling is on literally every single social network out there? It's a problem ingrained deep in society. You can't blame a communications platform for people's behavior. Do you get mad at your racist uncle's racist rants on Facebook? You might. But do you blame Facebook for it?
- cholantesh 11y agoExpressing generalized racist sentiments is hardly the same thing as making targeted posts about particular individuals who match a profile.
- colmvp 11y agoThe thing about Twitter is unlike Facebook (to some extent), you can pretty much customize it to just give you information that has utility. Since everything right now is shown chronologically and following individuals is fairly simple, you can opt to cultivate your feed by seeding it only with interesting people and organizations rather than people in your immediate social network. It's like Google Reader where people's Twitter accounts are RSS feeds. Being able to read thoughts from prolific authors, theorists, influencers is edifying.