5 ms·

> digital prisons Did you just coin that? It appropriately captures what is going on, but without having the positive connotation that comes from a 'walled gar

by josho 10y ago

> digital prisons Did you just coin that? It appropriately captures what is going on, but without having the positive connotation that comes from a 'walled garden'. I love the phrase. As an example outside of messaging, I have a fitbit and 'digital prison' so aptly describes what happens with my personal health data. I can't get my heart rate data out of their prison, because the fitbit warden doesn't see it fit to grant me the privilege to access my raw data.

dragonwriter 10y ago
"Walled garden" is more appropriate than "digital prison". No one is being sentenced involuntarily to these enclosures, they are voluntarily choosing to accept them because of what is inside them.
- Forbo 10y ago
  "Cult compound" is probably how I would describe it. Sure, you can leave, but there is immense social pressure to continue in what has become the norm, despite there clearly being something not okay with what is going on. And good luck convincing others to leave when you do.
  - schlowmo 10y ago
    Never heard "cult compound" in this context so far and by thinking about it I really think it better fits then "walled garden". "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place.
    - Karunamon 10y ago
      It's also one hell of a loaded term with things like Heavens Gate and Jim Jones having existed. To my knowledge, Facebook has yet to cause a mass suicide by people worshiping Zuckerberg.
      - fucking_tragedy 10y ago
        Facebook has convinced millions of people to give up vast amounts of private information to an apparatus that would make the Stasi or KGB drool. Part of cult indoctrination is giving up personal and private information, documents, secrets and property to participate and become part of the whole. Meanwhile, leaders profit from the property and information given up and use secrets to blackmail or breakdown an individual's identity so they become dependent on the group.
        Karunamon 10y ago
        Yes yes yes, make your descriptors fuzzy enough and you can compare anything with anything else. Here's a list of actual cult characteristics [1]. The comparison is an idiotic one to make. [1]: http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html
    - dragonwriter 10y ago
      > "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops Which is exactly why people go to them. > while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place. Directly true of social networks (where the "crop" is "people you can interact with through the network"), perhaps less directly true of some other walled gardens (though network effects are a thing.) But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular.
      - schlowmo 10y ago
        > "But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular." Agreed, I thought of this point while sending my comment but wasn't sure how to put that in words. So maybe it's the "most crowded garden party".
vic-traill 10y ago
I think of it as more of a 'Hotel California' - you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave. [0] Or at least your data can't. [0] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/hotelcalifornia.html http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/hotelcalifornia.html

by josho 10y ago

dragonwriter 10y ago

"Walled garden" is more appropriate than "digital prison". No one is being sentenced involuntarily to these enclosures, they are voluntarily choosing to accept them because of what is inside them.

Forbo 10y ago
"Cult compound" is probably how I would describe it. Sure, you can leave, but there is immense social pressure to continue in what has become the norm, despite there clearly being something not okay with what is going on. And good luck convincing others to leave when you do.
- schlowmo 10y ago
  Never heard "cult compound" in this context so far and by thinking about it I really think it better fits then "walled garden". "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place.
  - Karunamon 10y ago
    It's also one hell of a loaded term with things like Heavens Gate and Jim Jones having existed. To my knowledge, Facebook has yet to cause a mass suicide by people worshiping Zuckerberg.
    - fucking_tragedy 10y ago
      Facebook has convinced millions of people to give up vast amounts of private information to an apparatus that would make the Stasi or KGB drool. Part of cult indoctrination is giving up personal and private information, documents, secrets and property to participate and become part of the whole. Meanwhile, leaders profit from the property and information given up and use secrets to blackmail or breakdown an individual's identity so they become dependent on the group.
      - Karunamon 10y ago
        Yes yes yes, make your descriptors fuzzy enough and you can compare anything with anything else. Here's a list of actual cult characteristics [1]. The comparison is an idiotic one to make. [1]: http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html http://www.anandainfo.com/cult_checklist.html
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    > "Walled garden" sounds like you go there because of its beauty or for getting the best crops Which is exactly why people go to them. > while in reality you go there because it's the most crowded place. Directly true of social networks (where the "crop" is "people you can interact with through the network"), perhaps less directly true of some other walled gardens (though network effects are a thing.) But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular.
    - schlowmo 10y ago
      > "But also directly opposite of what you'd expect from a "cult compound", which people go more to escape what is most popular, than to experience what is most popular." Agreed, I thought of this point while sending my comment but wasn't sure how to put that in words. So maybe it's the "most crowded garden party".

vic-traill 10y ago

I think of it as more of a 'Hotel California' - you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave. [0] Or at least your data can't. [0] http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/hotelcalifornia.html http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eagles/hotelcalifornia.html