3 ms·

> Do we want what FB makes? Is it scarce?.. doesn't need to be a $trn company People want a social network that everyone else is on, that works on all their de

> Do we want what FB makes? Is it scarce?.. doesn't need to be a $trn company People want a social network that everyone else is on, that works on all their devices, and isn't full of spam bots or bugs. It takes a big company to do this at scale and the network effect makes useful social networks scarce.

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
cratermoon 5y ago
> People want a social network Do they, though?
- krapp 5y ago
  Of course they do. Social networks bridge the gap between publishing and communication for the public in a way that has been absolutely transformative in many people's lives, and many people do want that and find that useful. People want to chat with and share media with their friends and affinity groups. They want to follow trending or interesting subjects. They want to post cat pictures and memes.
  - cratermoon 5y ago
    Outside the SiliValley bubble, though?
    - krapp 5y ago
      Of course outside the bubble. It's really only on HN that social media is assumed to have no redeeming value beyond acting as a platform for corporate mind control, propaganda and culture war, but for most people social media is just a way to communicate and stay entertained. My mother, who can barely even use a computer, keeps in touch with her relatives and gets pictures of her grandkids and keeps up with her COPD support group on Facebook. Obviously social media has value to her and many, many other people.
    - ohyeshedid 5y ago
      Do you honestly believe only California techfolk use Facebook?
      - cratermoon 5y ago
        There's a difference between "use" and "want".
- LeonB 5y ago
  With 2 billion monthly active users… I think a response needs to be far more thoughtful than “Do they, though?”
dalbasal 5y ago
It takes a big company to do this at scale and the network effect makes useful social networks scarce. Counterexample: email

3 ms·

> Do we want what FB makes? Is it scarce?.. doesn't need to be a $trn company People want a social network that everyone else is on, that works on all their de

by jimmaswell 5y ago

deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
cratermoon 5y ago
> People want a social network Do they, though?
- krapp 5y ago
  Of course they do. Social networks bridge the gap between publishing and communication for the public in a way that has been absolutely transformative in many people's lives, and many people do want that and find that useful. People want to chat with and share media with their friends and affinity groups. They want to follow trending or interesting subjects. They want to post cat pictures and memes.
  - cratermoon 5y ago
    Outside the SiliValley bubble, though?
    - krapp 5y ago
      Of course outside the bubble. It's really only on HN that social media is assumed to have no redeeming value beyond acting as a platform for corporate mind control, propaganda and culture war, but for most people social media is just a way to communicate and stay entertained. My mother, who can barely even use a computer, keeps in touch with her relatives and gets pictures of her grandkids and keeps up with her COPD support group on Facebook. Obviously social media has value to her and many, many other people.
    - ohyeshedid 5y ago
      Do you honestly believe only California techfolk use Facebook?
      - cratermoon 5y ago
        There's a difference between "use" and "want".
- LeonB 5y ago
  With 2 billion monthly active users… I think a response needs to be far more thoughtful than “Do they, though?”
dalbasal 5y ago
It takes a big company to do this at scale and the network effect makes useful social networks scarce. Counterexample: email