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While number of active users still grows, one have to ask a question, who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. The only reason why I didn’

While number of active users still grows, one have to ask a question, who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. The only reason why I didn’t delete facebook is messenger, where I chat with old folks.

loloquwowndueo 7mo ago
Plot twist: all old folks were also on Facebook only to chat with other old folks. Once this fact was spotted, they all just moved to Discord.
ben_w 7mo ago
> who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. Political activists, like a former partner of mine. … who I mute, because I am a British person living in Berlin, I don't need or want "Demexit Memes" and similar groups, which is 90% of what they post … … which in turn means that sometimes when I visit Facebook, my feed is actually empty, because nobody else is posting anything … … which is still an improvement on when the algorithm decides to fill it up with junk, as the algorithm shows me people I don't know doing things I don't care abut interspersed with adverts for stuff I can't use (for all they talk about the "value" of the ads, I get ads both for dick pills and boob surgery, and tax advisors for a country I don't live in who specialise in helping people renounce I nationality I never had in the first place, and sometimes ads I not only can't read but can't even pronounce because they're in cyrillic).
- naravara 7mo ago
  I take poorly directed targeting advertisements as a performance indicator for how well my data privacy efforts are working. When the ad targeting has you dead to rights is when you need to worry.
  - ben_w 7mo ago
    To an extent, sure, but I think also a sign their analytics were never as good as they claimed. For example, so far as I know my name is strongly gendered male, so why the boob surgery ads?
    - thaumasiotes 7mo ago
      > my name is strongly gendered male, so why the boob surgery ads? Probably so you can suggest it to your partner.
      - dizzant 7mo ago
        This. My wife and I can hardly buy each other surprise gifts because the targeted advertising gives us away every time.
- p_ing 7mo ago
  > I get ads both for dick pills and boob surgery There is some percentage of the world-wide population that would find interest in both ads simultaneously.
  - ben_w 7mo ago
    While true (you're not the first to suggest it, even), in the context of the other things they show, I think it is more likely to be an example of them not knowing which advertiser to pitch my eyeballs at, and less likely to be them identifying me as a member of this set.
ericmay 7mo ago
“Who is left on Facebook besides dopamine junkies and bots?” “I only use it in this limited circumstance” You are on Facebook. That’s who. It’s like saying you’re not a drinker because you have a glass of wine every once in a while. Sure you’re not an addict (probably) but you still drink.
- theodric 7mo ago
  I'm happy they've been able to build a $1,660,000,000,000 company on the back of me logging in once every two months, scrolling 3 posts, getting disgusted with slop, and closing the tab. Gives me hope that my harebrained ventures may also succeed!
  - ericmay 7mo ago
    I don't buy it. You use it more than that - otherwise you'd just delete your account.
    - bluGill 7mo ago
      That is about right for me. I scoll a little longer but as soon as it changes from people I care to follow to slop I'm gone for a couple more months. there is value in following distant friends but it isn't worth hours per day of sorting through slop to find it. When it is only every month or two the non-slop still seems to rise to the top. (But God only knows what non slop they choose not to show me) I wish there was a way to block all 'so-and-so shared' as that is where most of the slop comes from. (Ads at least I can say is how they pay the bills and so I accept a few as non-slop)
    - morissette 7mo ago
      I’m down to 3 hours a week of social media woot!
      - sitkack 7mo ago
        Does that include HN?
grvdrm 7mo ago
Around me I see this usage: - Older folks. - People using marketplace - People exchanging inter-personal tips and info: best stroller, contractor, etc. Not saying FB is best for those things but it doesn’t seem dead at all.
CraigRood 7mo ago
The growth is across the family of products (inc Instagram and WhatsApp) not Facebook itself. Facebook itself is a zombie, and I don't believe they have a way to innovate out of it. I'm not going to predict the end of Meta, they have more than enough products, but agreed that it's actually quite difficult to understand who's really left.
Aurornis 7mo ago
The cognitive dissonance in some of these posts is strange. > one have to ask a question, who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. > The only reason why I didn’t delete facebook is messenger, where I chat with old folks. How are you confused about who still uses Facebook in one sentence and then immediately in the next sentence you describe yourself as a user and explain why it’s useful to you and the people you know.
bjelkeman-again 7mo ago
There are some apparent niche communities both on Facebook and Instagram. Heavy metal and hardrock music fans is one group that hasn’t migrated anywhere else yet. I both play in a band and promote events, and both are still required in my geographic area to reach out.
skirge 7mo ago
it's like wondering why pubs or restaurants exists if I'm not visiting them everyday, but they do because they have other businesses (birthday parties, company events etc.). Look at Facebook for business.

loloquwowndueo 7mo ago

Plot twist: all old folks were also on Facebook only to chat with other old folks. Once this fact was spotted, they all just moved to Discord.

ben_w 7mo ago

> who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. Political activists, like a former partner of mine. … who I mute, because I am a British person living in Berlin, I don't need or want "Demexit Memes" and similar groups, which is 90% of what they post … … which in turn means that sometimes when I visit Facebook, my feed is actually empty, because nobody else is posting anything … … which is still an improvement on when the algorithm decides to fill it up with junk, as the algorithm shows me people I don't know doing things I don't care abut interspersed with adverts for stuff I can't use (for all they talk about the "value" of the ads, I get ads both for dick pills and boob surgery, and tax advisors for a country I don't live in who specialise in helping people renounce I nationality I never had in the first place, and sometimes ads I not only can't read but can't even pronounce because they're in cyrillic).

naravara 7mo ago
I take poorly directed targeting advertisements as a performance indicator for how well my data privacy efforts are working. When the ad targeting has you dead to rights is when you need to worry.
- ben_w 7mo ago
  To an extent, sure, but I think also a sign their analytics were never as good as they claimed. For example, so far as I know my name is strongly gendered male, so why the boob surgery ads?
  - thaumasiotes 7mo ago
    > my name is strongly gendered male, so why the boob surgery ads? Probably so you can suggest it to your partner.
    - dizzant 7mo ago
      This. My wife and I can hardly buy each other surprise gifts because the targeted advertising gives us away every time.
p_ing 7mo ago
> I get ads both for dick pills and boob surgery There is some percentage of the world-wide population that would find interest in both ads simultaneously.
- ben_w 7mo ago
  While true (you're not the first to suggest it, even), in the context of the other things they show, I think it is more likely to be an example of them not knowing which advertiser to pitch my eyeballs at, and less likely to be them identifying me as a member of this set.

ericmay 7mo ago

“Who is left on Facebook besides dopamine junkies and bots?” “I only use it in this limited circumstance” You are on Facebook. That’s who. It’s like saying you’re not a drinker because you have a glass of wine every once in a while. Sure you’re not an addict (probably) but you still drink.

theodric 7mo ago
I'm happy they've been able to build a $1,660,000,000,000 company on the back of me logging in once every two months, scrolling 3 posts, getting disgusted with slop, and closing the tab. Gives me hope that my harebrained ventures may also succeed!
- ericmay 7mo ago
  I don't buy it. You use it more than that - otherwise you'd just delete your account.
  - bluGill 7mo ago
    That is about right for me. I scoll a little longer but as soon as it changes from people I care to follow to slop I'm gone for a couple more months. there is value in following distant friends but it isn't worth hours per day of sorting through slop to find it. When it is only every month or two the non-slop still seems to rise to the top. (But God only knows what non slop they choose not to show me) I wish there was a way to block all 'so-and-so shared' as that is where most of the slop comes from. (Ads at least I can say is how they pay the bills and so I accept a few as non-slop)
  - morissette 7mo ago
    I’m down to 3 hours a week of social media woot!
    - sitkack 7mo ago
      Does that include HN?

grvdrm 7mo ago

Around me I see this usage: - Older folks. - People using marketplace - People exchanging inter-personal tips and info: best stroller, contractor, etc. Not saying FB is best for those things but it doesn’t seem dead at all.

CraigRood 7mo ago

The growth is across the family of products (inc Instagram and WhatsApp) not Facebook itself. Facebook itself is a zombie, and I don't believe they have a way to innovate out of it. I'm not going to predict the end of Meta, they have more than enough products, but agreed that it's actually quite difficult to understand who's really left.

Aurornis 7mo ago

The cognitive dissonance in some of these posts is strange. > one have to ask a question, who is left on facebook aside from dopamine junkies and bots. > The only reason why I didn’t delete facebook is messenger, where I chat with old folks. How are you confused about who still uses Facebook in one sentence and then immediately in the next sentence you describe yourself as a user and explain why it’s useful to you and the people you know.

bjelkeman-again 7mo ago

There are some apparent niche communities both on Facebook and Instagram. Heavy metal and hardrock music fans is one group that hasn’t migrated anywhere else yet. I both play in a band and promote events, and both are still required in my geographic area to reach out.

skirge 7mo ago

it's like wondering why pubs or restaurants exists if I'm not visiting them everyday, but they do because they have other businesses (birthday parties, company events etc.). Look at Facebook for business.