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Use an RSS client and curate your own feed. Most of the problem lies in when we let someone else curate our feeds for us. Invariably they turn us into pigs slo

Use an RSS client and curate your own feed. Most of the problem lies in when we let someone else curate our feeds for us. Invariably they turn us into pigs slopping at a trough in the name of "engagement." I uninstalled Facebook and started following a small number of websites via RSS. I became somewhat addicted to following my own feed, but it's got a better signal to noise ratio and since I curate it tightly it's not an infinite time waste -- there are only a few new items every time I check. It's like replacing the potato chips you keep in your pantry with some mixed nuts. Sure there's still some fat in there, but no one designed your snack to trick your brain into endless consumption, next thing you know you've actually lost a couple pounds. Facebook still gets maybe 15min of my time per day when I consciously choose to surf to it. More if I decide I want to post something. But I probably spend 500% less time checking feeds overall.

afandian 9y ago
I've been looking for scholarly RSS feeds for a service I'm building (https://www.crossref.org/services/event-data/ https://www.crossref.org/services/event-data/). Most sites still seem to have them. But a few are going facebook-only or twitter-only for feed syndication. It's a worrying hint that content providers are starting to forget about the DIY approach to feed consumption toward homogenised, gate-kept ones.
- dredmorbius 9y ago
  Contact those sources directly and tell them this. Direct feedback matters. I'd also strongly recommend a fair bit of (even-handed) public commentary. I've had fairly good results with this. A CBC programme ("Ideas" with Paul Kennedy) had blocked "commercial" podcast apps from using it. I groused, got a few Canadian news outlets to pick this up, and the feeds were restored after a few months. I'm working with the creator of the Online Etymology Dictionary over some recent site redesign, and that looks like it may be positive. Not all sites are similarly responsive, and I've also ... on occasion ... been somewhat less than gentle in my criticisms (most especially with Google). But really, do make the mention.
jasonthevillain 9y ago
I've been doing the same, and wrote a small app that combines the feeds into a small daily email newsletter for myself. I wish I'd thought of this years ago. The worst part about these feeds is they're infinite. Converting much of the same content into a digest that you can read in 30 minutes and be done with makes a world of difference.

afandian 9y ago

I've been looking for scholarly RSS feeds for a service I'm building (https://www.crossref.org/services/event-data/ https://www.crossref.org/services/event-data/). Most sites still seem to have them. But a few are going facebook-only or twitter-only for feed syndication. It's a worrying hint that content providers are starting to forget about the DIY approach to feed consumption toward homogenised, gate-kept ones.

dredmorbius 9y ago
Contact those sources directly and tell them this. Direct feedback matters. I'd also strongly recommend a fair bit of (even-handed) public commentary. I've had fairly good results with this. A CBC programme ("Ideas" with Paul Kennedy) had blocked "commercial" podcast apps from using it. I groused, got a few Canadian news outlets to pick this up, and the feeds were restored after a few months. I'm working with the creator of the Online Etymology Dictionary over some recent site redesign, and that looks like it may be positive. Not all sites are similarly responsive, and I've also ... on occasion ... been somewhat less than gentle in my criticisms (most especially with Google). But really, do make the mention.

jasonthevillain 9y ago

I've been doing the same, and wrote a small app that combines the feeds into a small daily email newsletter for myself. I wish I'd thought of this years ago. The worst part about these feeds is they're infinite. Converting much of the same content into a digest that you can read in 30 minutes and be done with makes a world of difference.