4 ms·

the death of journalism has nothing to do with the open internet; it mostly has to do with their complete failure to find a functional online business model out

by setr 3y ago

the death of journalism has nothing to do with the open internet; it mostly has to do with their complete failure to find a functional online business model outside advertising. I'm pretty sure propaganda bots are largely a result of the death of journalism -- given that the trusted sources of information have become largely and obviously untrustworthy, then your only option is to go to the "community", where conspiracy and propaganda can reign freely. Social media is the only thing you could possibly blame on the open internet, but it has more to do with the same incentive problem as internet journalism -- advertising is money, and advertising needs "engagement". Social media, like journalism, needs propaganda and conspiracy and flamewars to thrive in order to exist. They have no real incentive to reduce it, except to make it sure it doesn't cross the point where it goes a little too far and they start getting accused of "causing the near collapse of democracy in the united states"

poisonborz 3y ago
> Social media, like journalism, needs propaganda and conspiracy and flamewars to thrive Absolutely not, you are perhaps caught in the 2023 notion of social media. Early social sites thrived without any ads and company or celeb profiles even, just like early FB. Social media is and should be about common user interactions, most importantly the inner circle of acquaintances and then interest groups. Everything else was just made up to drive clicks and ad revenue.
- raxxorraxor 3y ago
  Depends what you describe as social media. Forums and boards are different than Twitter or TikTok. Usually social media is associated with wanting to present yourself while other platforms are focused around topics. One type might leak into the other, but usually the behavior and content is vastly different. I keep my opinion that Instagram is for idiots for example. Yes, probably an ignorant perspective and it isn't exclusively the case, but an opinion I can very much live with.

by setr 3y ago

poisonborz 3y ago

> Social media, like journalism, needs propaganda and conspiracy and flamewars to thrive Absolutely not, you are perhaps caught in the 2023 notion of social media. Early social sites thrived without any ads and company or celeb profiles even, just like early FB. Social media is and should be about common user interactions, most importantly the inner circle of acquaintances and then interest groups. Everything else was just made up to drive clicks and ad revenue.

raxxorraxor 3y ago
Depends what you describe as social media. Forums and boards are different than Twitter or TikTok. Usually social media is associated with wanting to present yourself while other platforms are focused around topics. One type might leak into the other, but usually the behavior and content is vastly different. I keep my opinion that Instagram is for idiots for example. Yes, probably an ignorant perspective and it isn't exclusively the case, but an opinion I can very much live with.