General / Off-Topic Social media a threat to civilization - from Facebook's ex-leaders

[Arkadi]

There is a difference between the "Internet" that offers FREE access to information for everyone and social media that is owned by corporations that make a buisness of selling private data...

Imo it's a constant WAR of development of open source producers, hackers and free thinkers VERSUS internet corporations that want to farm private data like google, farcebook, and what not...

The virtual reality is just mirroring the biological reality.

 

[Manticore]

Social media. A place where you create your own profiles so the CIA doesn't have to.

Exactly.

Orwell's 1984 got it sort of right but he didn't prefigure social media and the propensity of idiots to give away all their confidential information without any prompting or coercion by, or from, "authorities".

I do use Twitter for news feeds but I am extremely careful about what information I disclose.

Facebook is, and always has been, a societal and cultural garbage dump; in my opinion.

 

[Ian Skippy]

I'm about to deactivate FB for the rest of the month, and see how I like it. If I do, I'll keep it like that going into 2018.

 

[Patrick_68000]

There can be massive differences between the facts and historical truths. Knowledge is power and not just in a malevolent way. The internet, is like the invention of the book. The Latin word for this is Bible, but that is another story. The book and giving people the power of the written word, had more power than anything before it. That power was controlled; in every part of the world, it was invented in; because it could hold secrets and of course. Become a reference of knowledge.

The inter-web has many of the same issues, as the book. Lies can be told and incorrect beliefs can become accepted.

As to it being a threat to human civilization? Humans have been doing that for centuries. The discourse between them, due to the inter-web, is just making things louder and of course the extreme idiots are making the most noise and therefore; getting the most attention.

It's up to people to sort through these mountains of information. But it's true that everyone does not have the faculties for this

 

[Ian Skippy]

It's up to people to sort through these mountains of information. But it's true that everyone does not have the faculties for this

Its not just intelligence, it is also about time, energy, focus etc. When bombarded with nonsense, it simply isnt realistic to expect people to filter it all out. Dont mean people are stupid, we just arent wired for it. Yours truly included.

 

[Manticore]

Its not just intelligence, it is also about time, energy, focus etc. When bombarded with nonsense, it simply isnt realistic to expect people to filter it all out. Dont mean people are stupid, we just arent wired for it. Yours truly included.

Here's the thing:

Tea bags, I think they were Lipton.

Each and every teabag tag has the Lipton (I think) logo on one side. Turn it over and there's a Facebook logo and "Follow Us"; on the back of each and every tag on each and every bag.

Seriously?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Patrick_68000]

Its not just intelligence, it is also about time, energy, focus etc. When bombarded with nonsense, it simply isnt realistic to expect people to filter it all out. Dont mean people are stupid, we just arent wired for it. Yours truly included.

I'm not saying that people are stupid (I'm stupid myself ). I did not really speak of intelligence but rather of naivety

 

[OnePercent]

I agree that social media is making people naive and stupid, but it's basically the same result from any medium which a person is addicted to.

 

[rootsrat]

I'm about to deactivate FB for the rest of the month, and see how I like it. If I do, I'll keep it like that going into 2018.

I did this in July. Don't miss it at all. I re-activated my account couple of weeks ago, ONLY to check Elite related groups I'm signed up to. I don't feel the need to go on it and check hundreds of pointless posts from the people that are on my friends list, but are not actually my friends.

 

[Para Handy]

.................. the people that are on my friends list, but are not actually my friends.

 

[Flimley]

Agreed. Just watch this short clip to conform your fears. This is how things are becoming.
[video=youtube_share;Uo0KjdDJr1c]https://youtu.be/Uo0KjdDJr1c[/video]

Tell me if I’m wrong.

Flimley

 

[ZeroAi]

I don't use social media (sm) much because I spend my time at more interesting websites (like here ;-) )

That said, I believe sm will evolve into something healthy for humans, but like many other things it has to run its course first.

Same thing is happening with the "News" media - currently at its lowest point as most "News" shows don't represent what's really happening (they're more like "Ripley's believe it or not") and they also almost exclusively feature "opinions" in place of "facts" which is why I gave up watching the news 10 years ago - I have plenty of my own opinions thank you very much

 

[Ian Skippy]

Tell me if I’m wrong.

You are wrong.