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You've mentioned a few examples of how social media is having a positive impact on the world. And after thinking about it some, I think I underestimated how big

You've mentioned a few examples of how social media is having a positive impact on the world. And after thinking about it some, I think I underestimated how big an impact they have. I still think the proportion of the usage that is meaningful is low, but given the huge amount of usage, it has lead to a pretty decent amount of meaningful interaction. But what about the downsides? I don't have too strong an opinion and can't argue it well, but I do suspect that social media has its downsides, and that has to play into the equation. Something along the lines of "kids in the neighborhood used to all play outside together and now they're inside gossiping on social media".

scott_s 12y ago
I bet there are downsides. But there were also downsides when every home got a telephone. And when everyone started carrying cellphones. My point is that new technology which changes the way humans communicate with each other is a phenomenon that has played out many times in the past few centuries.
- heroh 12y ago
  >And when everyone started carrying cellphones. in 1984 George Orwell talks about TeleScreens, Here's a little excerpt from wikipedia: >"Telescreens are fictional devices which operate as both televisions and security cameras....telescreens are used by the ruling Party in Oceania to keep its subjects under constant surveillance, thus eliminating the chance of secret conspiracies against Oceania. All members of the Inner Party (upper-class) and Outer Party (middle-class) have telescreens in their homes, but the proles (lower-class) are not typically monitored as they are unimportant to the Party." now consider recent NSA revelations (dragnet surveillance) including: http://www.wired.com/2014/07/nsa-targets-users-of-privacy-services/ http://www.wired.com/2014/07/nsa-targets-users-of-privacy-se... Cellphones are Telescreens... they are a source of entertainment for most (like TV) and function as security cameras -- with your location and data connectivity being constantly logged, complete with backdoors which allow full remote access. The middle class is being destroyed (http://time.com/money/2917709/wealth-inequality-doubled-over-last-10-years-study-finds/ http://time.com/money/2917709/wealth-inequality-doubled-over...) and anyone who opposes the party will be subject to indefinite detention (NDAA) or wiped out. Apps are primarily a distraction mechanism and social networks are services which profile every aspect of an individuals life, data which can and will be mined and used against you if you commit a thought-crime. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/technology/15twitter.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/technology/15twitter.html http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/7/5878069/why-facebook-is-beating-the-fbi-at-facial-recognition http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/7/5878069/why-facebook-is-bea... Try and stop them: www.cnbc.com/id/101669271
  - ml_da 12y ago
    > anyone who opposes the party will be subject to indefinite detention (NDAA) or wiped out. Then why are you and countless other people like you allowed to post your alarmist b.s all over every day? Try moving to north korea and posting against the government, if you want to know what being in a totalitarian state is really like.
candu 12y ago
Erosion of privacy, ease of government surveillance, and monetization of personal identity could all be viewed as either upsides or downsides. It depends on who you ask. Technology doesn't have to have a net positive impact to have an impact. The moral/ethical debates on atomic fission, cars, and industrialized agriculture are all still very much open.

scott_s 12y ago

I bet there are downsides. But there were also downsides when every home got a telephone. And when everyone started carrying cellphones. My point is that new technology which changes the way humans communicate with each other is a phenomenon that has played out many times in the past few centuries.

heroh 12y ago
>And when everyone started carrying cellphones. in 1984 George Orwell talks about TeleScreens, Here's a little excerpt from wikipedia: >"Telescreens are fictional devices which operate as both televisions and security cameras....telescreens are used by the ruling Party in Oceania to keep its subjects under constant surveillance, thus eliminating the chance of secret conspiracies against Oceania. All members of the Inner Party (upper-class) and Outer Party (middle-class) have telescreens in their homes, but the proles (lower-class) are not typically monitored as they are unimportant to the Party." now consider recent NSA revelations (dragnet surveillance) including: http://www.wired.com/2014/07/nsa-targets-users-of-privacy-services/ http://www.wired.com/2014/07/nsa-targets-users-of-privacy-se... Cellphones are Telescreens... they are a source of entertainment for most (like TV) and function as security cameras -- with your location and data connectivity being constantly logged, complete with backdoors which allow full remote access. The middle class is being destroyed (http://time.com/money/2917709/wealth-inequality-doubled-over-last-10-years-study-finds/ http://time.com/money/2917709/wealth-inequality-doubled-over...) and anyone who opposes the party will be subject to indefinite detention (NDAA) or wiped out. Apps are primarily a distraction mechanism and social networks are services which profile every aspect of an individuals life, data which can and will be mined and used against you if you commit a thought-crime. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/technology/15twitter.html http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/technology/15twitter.html http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/7/5878069/why-facebook-is-beating-the-fbi-at-facial-recognition http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/7/5878069/why-facebook-is-bea... Try and stop them: www.cnbc.com/id/101669271
- ml_da 12y ago
  > anyone who opposes the party will be subject to indefinite detention (NDAA) or wiped out. Then why are you and countless other people like you allowed to post your alarmist b.s all over every day? Try moving to north korea and posting against the government, if you want to know what being in a totalitarian state is really like.

candu 12y ago

Erosion of privacy, ease of government surveillance, and monetization of personal identity could all be viewed as either upsides or downsides. It depends on who you ask. Technology doesn't have to have a net positive impact to have an impact. The moral/ethical debates on atomic fission, cars, and industrialized agriculture are all still very much open.