• pahlimur@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Firm disagree. Social media, or more specifically algorithmic short form content these days, is extremely damaging. It’s different from anything that’s come before and has nothing to do with connecting with your peers.

    I graduated high-school in 2009 so I saw the beginning of popularized social media. Very few gained anything from participating in it. Mostly people who were good at marketing and building a following benefited.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      2 months ago

      It’s different from anything that’s come before and has nothing to do with connecting with your peers.

      Kids have always been evil little shits who get their jollies demoralizing and torturing the weak. Social media is just a newer avenue for old sociopathy.

      Social media, or more specifically algorithmic short form content

      Again, nothing particularly novel. Marketing, news, propaganda.

      • IllNess@infosec.pub
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        2 months ago

        Again, nothing particularly novel. Marketing, news, propaganda.

        Marketing, news, and propaganda of the past never targeted people directly. It’s also not just feeding them content, it’s also taking and storing massive amounts of data from the user that will be used against them.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          2 months ago

          Yes, they have. Direct mailing, cold calling, lead farming, door-to-door, yes, all of it has been done, and most of it predates even the printing press. This isn’t social media; this is marketing, plain and simple. And marketing is the least damaging aspect of social media: they just want to exploit you. The people who aren’t after your money are the real danger.

          • IllNess@infosec.pub
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            2 months ago

            Direct mailing, cold calling, lead farming, door-to-door

            None of those compare to what is happening now. Those are playing wack a mole hoping to get a sale. What’s happening now is recording everything you show a reaction to, whether enjoyable or not, and use it against the user.

            A list of names, address from marketers is nothing compared to the amount of data tech companies are getting from individuals.

            Just saying cold calling and door-to-door is the same as the data gathering tactics now shows your ignorance on the topic.

            • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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              2 months ago

              What’s happening now is recording everything you show a reaction to, whether enjoyable or not, and use it against the user.

              “Use it against the user”… For what? You make it sound nefarious, but it is just marketing. You aren’t being blackmailed. People are trying to sell you stuff. They’ve been doing that since forever.

              Again, “marketing” is not the problem with social media. The harmful part of social media is the fucking people. Especially for kids, who are trying to figure out how to get along with everyone, but haven’t yet learned that most people are assholes who should be ignored.

              • IllNess@infosec.pub
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                2 months ago

                Marketing can be really broad. You can market a shirt or you can convince someone to join a cult. And you can find out if someone is more likely to join a cult through the gathered data.

                If you don’t see the dangers of propaganda and misinformation, like I said:

                Just saying cold calling and door-to-door is the same as the data gathering tactics now shows your ignorance on the topic.

                • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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                  2 months ago

                  . And you can find out if someone is more likely to join a cult through the gathered data.

                  Yeah. Data like “does this person respect arbitrary restrictions imposed by self-appointed authority figures?”

                  • IllNess@infosec.pub
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                    2 months ago

                    Parenting is “self-appointed authority figures” rather than being called “parenting” now? Lol.

                    Data like “can we sell make up to minors because they only follow models? Looks like they are in the path to body dysmorphia, better send the results to local plastic surgeons.”

                    Data like is “this teenager having issues with their parents and have no friends on their profile, so that makes them an easier target to join a welcoming group?”

                    When parenting was still called parenting and not 'self-appointed authority" (lol), parents prevented their children from hanging out with the same groups that social media is pushing on to them.

                    And you think the best things for developing minds to exposing them to these groups because according to you “it is just marketing”.