5 ms·

> every time someone uses Facebook, that person is implicitly showing that they like Facebook more than not and find it valuable more than not. I know quite a

> every time someone uses Facebook, that person is implicitly showing that they like Facebook more than not and find it valuable more than not. I know quite a few people who will say they are addicted to facebook, and many more who will at least admit that they use it more than they want to. I was the former until about a year ago when I finally pulled the plug. So I do not think that's a fair statement at all.

Veen 8y ago
That stood out to me too. It’s obviously untrue. There are many reasons people do things they would rather not: necessity, obligation, habit, addiction, switching costs, network effects, and more. Furthermore, just because people like something, it doesn’t follow that it’s good for them or for society at large. Or that they couldn’t get the thing they like without it being hitched to a lot of things they don’t like. Facebook’s “crisis” has nothing to do with whether people like the service or not. It’s that more people are realizing that it’s not worth the cost.
- TAForObvReasons 8y ago
  Usage is a lagging indicator, yet the author seems to treat it as a leading indicator. Current interactions may not change overnight, but new interactions are more likely to occur elsewhere, and those effects wont be obvious for some time
skummetmaelk 8y ago
> every time someone uses heroin, that person is implicitly showing that they like heroin more than not and find it valuable more than not. Any article pushing such obviously false logic should just be discarded immediately.
shard972 8y ago
If so then maybe Facebook should be regulated like we regulate drugs. It would probably be easier than regulating drugs when you think about it.
- chillacy 8y ago
  War on Communication? I’m sure that’ll play out nicely since the war on drugs was such a “great success”...
SmellyGeekBoy 8y ago
I don't like Facebook, but I use it for 3 reasons: 1) Events for certain groups of which I am a member, which are advertised elsewhere but to be honest I'm so disorganised so would probably miss out on them without constant reminders 2) Managing my company pages (basically holding pages with very little content) 3) Friends and family who insist on using Messenger Messenger is probably the main one. I'm sorry but the standard HN answer of "ask your friends and family to switch to Signal" just isn't going to work, and I like them too much to cut them out of my life completely. I'm certainly not "addicted" and would gladly delete my account if not for these 3 reasons. I don't bother with the newsfeed at all.
- CaptainZapp 8y ago
  My family is having a hard time by me steadfastly refusing to use Whatsapp or any Facebook property for that matter. They didn't disown me and I still get the feeling that I'm loved. We just need to communicate by sms / email or (gasp!) phone.
mettamage 8y ago
My way of not being addicted to Facebook. (1) Set a ridiculously long passphrase that you'll do your best to memorize. Mine is 42 characters a la FHeCYERKCbdk289!# etc. (2) Install plugins on your browser that disable Facebook features that you consider pure poison (in my case: Facebook newsfeed). (3) Log yourself out of Facebook but keep yourself logged in to Messenger (if you're the chatty type like me, I consider it to be ICQ or MSN and as innovative as MSN was back then, yes I used MSN :P I'm from Europe). (4) Download a slow crappy browser and put your main Facebook account on auto login. (5) Create a second account with as few friends as possible, and get into the groups / whatever you find important that brings value to you. Set that second account to auto login on your main browser. Don't invite friends, but do let your friends know you want access to the groups they are in as well (if you find that important). (6) Do the same for mobile. This system allows you to: use the part of Facebook you consider valuable (in my case Messenger) and will put you in the situation of only using Facebook when you reaalllyyy need to but otherwise won't. The only discipline you need to have is to not put yourself on auto login on your main browser. You also need the discipline of typing a passphrase every time (have fun on mobile!).

Veen 8y ago

That stood out to me too. It’s obviously untrue. There are many reasons people do things they would rather not: necessity, obligation, habit, addiction, switching costs, network effects, and more. Furthermore, just because people like something, it doesn’t follow that it’s good for them or for society at large. Or that they couldn’t get the thing they like without it being hitched to a lot of things they don’t like. Facebook’s “crisis” has nothing to do with whether people like the service or not. It’s that more people are realizing that it’s not worth the cost.

TAForObvReasons 8y ago
Usage is a lagging indicator, yet the author seems to treat it as a leading indicator. Current interactions may not change overnight, but new interactions are more likely to occur elsewhere, and those effects wont be obvious for some time

skummetmaelk 8y ago

> every time someone uses heroin, that person is implicitly showing that they like heroin more than not and find it valuable more than not. Any article pushing such obviously false logic should just be discarded immediately.

shard972 8y ago

If so then maybe Facebook should be regulated like we regulate drugs. It would probably be easier than regulating drugs when you think about it.

chillacy 8y ago
War on Communication? I’m sure that’ll play out nicely since the war on drugs was such a “great success”...

SmellyGeekBoy 8y ago

I don't like Facebook, but I use it for 3 reasons: 1) Events for certain groups of which I am a member, which are advertised elsewhere but to be honest I'm so disorganised so would probably miss out on them without constant reminders 2) Managing my company pages (basically holding pages with very little content) 3) Friends and family who insist on using Messenger Messenger is probably the main one. I'm sorry but the standard HN answer of "ask your friends and family to switch to Signal" just isn't going to work, and I like them too much to cut them out of my life completely. I'm certainly not "addicted" and would gladly delete my account if not for these 3 reasons. I don't bother with the newsfeed at all.

CaptainZapp 8y ago
My family is having a hard time by me steadfastly refusing to use Whatsapp or any Facebook property for that matter. They didn't disown me and I still get the feeling that I'm loved. We just need to communicate by sms / email or (gasp!) phone.

mettamage 8y ago

My way of not being addicted to Facebook. (1) Set a ridiculously long passphrase that you'll do your best to memorize. Mine is 42 characters a la FHeCYERKCbdk289!# etc. (2) Install plugins on your browser that disable Facebook features that you consider pure poison (in my case: Facebook newsfeed). (3) Log yourself out of Facebook but keep yourself logged in to Messenger (if you're the chatty type like me, I consider it to be ICQ or MSN and as innovative as MSN was back then, yes I used MSN :P I'm from Europe). (4) Download a slow crappy browser and put your main Facebook account on auto login. (5) Create a second account with as few friends as possible, and get into the groups / whatever you find important that brings value to you. Set that second account to auto login on your main browser. Don't invite friends, but do let your friends know you want access to the groups they are in as well (if you find that important). (6) Do the same for mobile. This system allows you to: use the part of Facebook you consider valuable (in my case Messenger) and will put you in the situation of only using Facebook when you reaalllyyy need to but otherwise won't. The only discipline you need to have is to not put yourself on auto login on your main browser. You also need the discipline of typing a passphrase every time (have fun on mobile!).