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I hope this will pierce the HN anti-FB bubble somewhat. It's dangerous to believe one's own BS. FB is here to stay, although I do believe it will wither in the

by m0zg 8y ago

I hope this will pierce the HN anti-FB bubble somewhat. It's dangerous to believe one's own BS. FB is here to stay, although I do believe it will wither in the long term (5+ years).

el_benhameen 8y ago
I think you can be anti-FB while still recognizing that it's a powerful force in the industry and the world. Hell, I'd say that many are anti-FB because it's too powerful a force in the industry and the world.
- m0zg 8y ago
  Anti-FB is not quite the right term. What I meant is folks seem to believe that just because they don't use FB nobody else uses it, and the scandals are about to undo what remains of it. Whereas in the real world, outside the bubble, FB has 2 billion users and it's still growing both in terms of userbase, time spent on FB products, and revenues/profits.
  - el_benhameen 8y ago
    That's fair, and probably the interpretation I should have gone with.
- product50 8y ago
  Well - are they anti Google or anti Amazon?
  - el_benhameen 8y ago
    Yes, I would say that those who are concerned about Facebook for those reasons are also usually concerned about Amazon and Google for the same reasons.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
trophycase 8y ago
It's really not a HN bubble. Facebook the site/app has peaked for the most part, both people I know who are currently in high school do not use it and have never made a "Facebook" page. Now Instagram is a completely different story of course.
- m0zg 8y ago
  I happen to have a son who is currently is high school. While it is true that he (and likely his peers) is not a heavy user of FB, he does use it to coordinate events, and he does use Instagram and WhatsApp a lot. "FB" is not just "FB the site". If you listen to their earnings calls, a lot of time is devoted to Instagram in particular at the moment.
- product50 8y ago
  This honestly has been true for the past 5 years! But it doesn't say anything about the same high schoolers start using FB when they come to college. These numbers which FB is showing wouldn't have been possible if people are not coming into FB at a large rate.
- chillee 8y ago
  The way it works is that although high schoolers using FB has leveled off, they tend to start making FB accounts after high school, when many of their friends are no longer reachable by simply meeting up with them in class.
product50 8y ago
Thank you for calling this out. The best way to think about Facebook is that it is a time filler. I don't know where I read it but an average FB session lasts around 75-90 seconds. People use it when they are in a line or when they are in an elevator. It is a great way to stay in touch with what your friends are doing or communicate with them. I find it very difficult to understand what is to hate about that. Sure there is data usage with which some people are upset but you can just go ahead and disable that in settings (assuming you are comfortable with less relevant ads). Also, it is time to #undeleteFacebook. You know you are missing it!
- m0zg 8y ago
  There are negative aspects to it, to be sure. Some people get addicted. Some believe everything they read online. Some post embarrassing stuff that undoes their lives, etc. There's also a lot of tracking and data mining by FB done outside FB (I have no problem if they track everything in their own products). But my point is orthogonal to that. My point is FB is alive and well, and the recent scandals, as damaging as they seemed PR-wise, have done basically nothing to it.
- feanaro 8y ago
  I'm sorry to say, but you sound like a product ad. You raise the data usage problem, but then just dismiss it and give a non-solution, knowing perfectly well the extensive Facebook tracking cannot be completely disabled since they even track people without accounts. > Also, it is time to #undeleteFacebook. You know you are missing it! No, it isn't and no, I'm really not. I don't need a "time filler". The mind needs some time off. It pays off to give it that time and perhaps be a bit more mindful instead of populating every moment with crap.
  - product50 8y ago
    Do you know others tracks you as well? It is not only FB. Google does exactly the same tracking as FB regardless of whether you have an account. So are you applying the same principles of privacy there? Hell, even Twitter tracks you wherever it can regardless of your account. It is all good to come here and spread hatred about FB. But if you have principled stand against privacy, you won't use any of the major services that are supported by ads. Stop using Google Search, Maps, GMail, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter & YouTube.

by m0zg 8y ago

I hope this will pierce the HN anti-FB bubble somewhat. It's dangerous to believe one's own BS. FB is here to stay, although I do believe it will wither in the long term (5+ years).

el_benhameen 8y ago

I think you can be anti-FB while still recognizing that it's a powerful force in the industry and the world. Hell, I'd say that many are anti-FB because it's too powerful a force in the industry and the world.

m0zg 8y ago
Anti-FB is not quite the right term. What I meant is folks seem to believe that just because they don't use FB nobody else uses it, and the scandals are about to undo what remains of it. Whereas in the real world, outside the bubble, FB has 2 billion users and it's still growing both in terms of userbase, time spent on FB products, and revenues/profits.
- el_benhameen 8y ago
  That's fair, and probably the interpretation I should have gone with.
product50 8y ago
Well - are they anti Google or anti Amazon?
- el_benhameen 8y ago
  Yes, I would say that those who are concerned about Facebook for those reasons are also usually concerned about Amazon and Google for the same reasons.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

trophycase 8y ago

It's really not a HN bubble. Facebook the site/app has peaked for the most part, both people I know who are currently in high school do not use it and have never made a "Facebook" page. Now Instagram is a completely different story of course.

m0zg 8y ago
I happen to have a son who is currently is high school. While it is true that he (and likely his peers) is not a heavy user of FB, he does use it to coordinate events, and he does use Instagram and WhatsApp a lot. "FB" is not just "FB the site". If you listen to their earnings calls, a lot of time is devoted to Instagram in particular at the moment.
product50 8y ago
This honestly has been true for the past 5 years! But it doesn't say anything about the same high schoolers start using FB when they come to college. These numbers which FB is showing wouldn't have been possible if people are not coming into FB at a large rate.
chillee 8y ago
The way it works is that although high schoolers using FB has leveled off, they tend to start making FB accounts after high school, when many of their friends are no longer reachable by simply meeting up with them in class.

product50 8y ago

Thank you for calling this out. The best way to think about Facebook is that it is a time filler. I don't know where I read it but an average FB session lasts around 75-90 seconds. People use it when they are in a line or when they are in an elevator. It is a great way to stay in touch with what your friends are doing or communicate with them. I find it very difficult to understand what is to hate about that. Sure there is data usage with which some people are upset but you can just go ahead and disable that in settings (assuming you are comfortable with less relevant ads). Also, it is time to #undeleteFacebook. You know you are missing it!

m0zg 8y ago
There are negative aspects to it, to be sure. Some people get addicted. Some believe everything they read online. Some post embarrassing stuff that undoes their lives, etc. There's also a lot of tracking and data mining by FB done outside FB (I have no problem if they track everything in their own products). But my point is orthogonal to that. My point is FB is alive and well, and the recent scandals, as damaging as they seemed PR-wise, have done basically nothing to it.
feanaro 8y ago
I'm sorry to say, but you sound like a product ad. You raise the data usage problem, but then just dismiss it and give a non-solution, knowing perfectly well the extensive Facebook tracking cannot be completely disabled since they even track people without accounts. > Also, it is time to #undeleteFacebook. You know you are missing it! No, it isn't and no, I'm really not. I don't need a "time filler". The mind needs some time off. It pays off to give it that time and perhaps be a bit more mindful instead of populating every moment with crap.
- product50 8y ago
  Do you know others tracks you as well? It is not only FB. Google does exactly the same tracking as FB regardless of whether you have an account. So are you applying the same principles of privacy there? Hell, even Twitter tracks you wherever it can regardless of your account. It is all good to come here and spread hatred about FB. But if you have principled stand against privacy, you won't use any of the major services that are supported by ads. Stop using Google Search, Maps, GMail, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter & YouTube.