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I've been hearing this for over 5 years now, but social media is still booming, and most people are still on Facebook, and similar apps, and spending more time

I've been hearing this for over 5 years now, but social media is still booming, and most people are still on Facebook, and similar apps, and spending more time than ever. It feels weird as if everyone agrees, and knows that smoking kills but continue to smokes more and more.

Applejinx 5y ago
Almost as if there are exploitable addictive properties that can be analyzed, maximized, monetized. To KNOW is not gonna change anything much. It's the nature of the beast.
ahevia 5y ago
I’ve asked this question to a few non-tech friends. They definitely know and recognize the harms of using social media, but for many them just struggle to quit. They don’t even know how to put their addictions into words. There were a few who also used it because it’s easy to keep up with family or friends who might live far away (which is a really valid use case!) and have no problem quitting it or never checking. These products are designed to be addicting. My hypothesis is that folks might recognize the harm but since the downside is reducing the quality of your mental state (FB doesn’t increase your risk of cancer ala smoking). It’s just not a priority to fix the addiction.
smegger001 5y ago
Alcoholics know they are destroying their liver buy still drink, heavy caffeine addicts know their sleep cycle is being disrupted but still drink coffee. Thing is, there is a socially acceptable amount that not significantly destructive. I can drink a coffee at 8 am and still get to sleep, I can have a beer at the monthly game night and still have a functional healthy liver. How much social media can I consume and not fall in depression, compulsive behavior or be polarized in a fringe ideology? Well for me I have mostly quit Facebook (other than messenger and using it for event scheduling for game night.) I don't do TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram. I only use Reddit for niche interest/hobbies and deleted all the default subs. I only use Snapchat to talk to a couple of people because its the best way to get ahold of them, and then there a couple of forums like hackernews i lurk and occasionaly post in and that enough for me. Used in moderation social media is fine. Just like a beer every month or so or a coffee in the morning

Applejinx 5y ago

Almost as if there are exploitable addictive properties that can be analyzed, maximized, monetized. To KNOW is not gonna change anything much. It's the nature of the beast.

ahevia 5y ago

I’ve asked this question to a few non-tech friends. They definitely know and recognize the harms of using social media, but for many them just struggle to quit. They don’t even know how to put their addictions into words. There were a few who also used it because it’s easy to keep up with family or friends who might live far away (which is a really valid use case!) and have no problem quitting it or never checking. These products are designed to be addicting. My hypothesis is that folks might recognize the harm but since the downside is reducing the quality of your mental state (FB doesn’t increase your risk of cancer ala smoking). It’s just not a priority to fix the addiction.

smegger001 5y ago

Alcoholics know they are destroying their liver buy still drink, heavy caffeine addicts know their sleep cycle is being disrupted but still drink coffee. Thing is, there is a socially acceptable amount that not significantly destructive. I can drink a coffee at 8 am and still get to sleep, I can have a beer at the monthly game night and still have a functional healthy liver. How much social media can I consume and not fall in depression, compulsive behavior or be polarized in a fringe ideology? Well for me I have mostly quit Facebook (other than messenger and using it for event scheduling for game night.) I don't do TikTok, Twitter, or Instagram. I only use Reddit for niche interest/hobbies and deleted all the default subs. I only use Snapchat to talk to a couple of people because its the best way to get ahold of them, and then there a couple of forums like hackernews i lurk and occasionaly post in and that enough for me. Used in moderation social media is fine. Just like a beer every month or so or a coffee in the morning