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The effect of deactivating Facebook and Instagram on users' emotional state

(www.nber.org)
506 points imakwana | 8 comments | 21 Apr 25 04:24 UTC | HN request time: 1.038s | source | bottom
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8s2ngy ◴[21 Apr 25 05:47 UTC] No.43748792[source]▶
I believe many of the problems in our current social media landscape could be solved by eliminating the "feed" and instead displaying posts, updates, and pictures from friends, family, and those we know in real life. This approach might conflict with the profit models of big tech social media and could go against what most people have become accustomed to. Personally, I would love a smaller social network where I can stay connected with my school friends, college friends, and distant family without having to see irrelevant posts, like some stupid remark from a politician halfway around the world or influencers doing something outrageous just for attention.
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xyzal ◴[21 Apr 25 06:35 UTC] No.43748985[source]▶
I think the EU should flex their regulatory muscle and forbid algorithmic feeds on by default unless the networks break european society as the US is broken.
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1. milesrout ◴[21 Apr 25 06:51 UTC] No.43749047[source]▶
The result of a purely chronological feed is that you have to scroll through 10 posts from the same person and never see anything from people that post good content rarely.

Plenty of people like and enjoy "algorithmic feeds". I can enjoy occasionally scrolling through a feed. Banning it is like banning alcohol because there are alcoholics in society.

If you can't handle it, switch it off.

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2. hansworst ◴[21 Apr 25 07:00 UTC] No.43749107[source]▶
Obviously there’s a balance to be struck here. We could legalise fentanyl and tell people to just not use it, but that probably wouldn’t have a very positive impact on society.

At the very least we should acknowledge the negative externalities. Just leaving it up to the market to figure out (especially if we allow the current tech monopolies to exist) will result in serious societal impact.

3. lukan ◴[21 Apr 25 07:18 UTC] No.43749200[source]▶
"The result of a purely chronological feed is that you have to scroll through 10 posts from the same person and never see anything from people that post good content rarely."

But who made the demand, to have everything shown from everyone?

Imagine a social network, where you make your own rules for your feed. That special person who posts rarely, but good will have special visibility. And from that bored family member that basically spams, you will see the message "X has posted 50 pictures and text today" and with a click you can go there.

4. delusional ◴[21 Apr 25 08:44 UTC] No.43749661[source]▶
Plenty of people like and enjoy "algorithmic feeds".

Plenty of people like heroin too. Liking something doesn't make it good.

5. intended ◴[21 Apr 25 08:53 UTC] No.43749713[source]▶
Alcohol consumption is gated behind age laws.

There are society level effects based on the consumption of several goods and services.

Gambling, alcohol, drugs, for example.

The individuals story, in aggregate, mm impacts, over and over, has effects that we must address when arguing for the optimal friction for that good.

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6. veunes ◴[21 Apr 25 08:56 UTC] No.43749733[source]▶
Having algorithmic feeds as an option, not the default, would be a huge step forward
7. Zambyte ◴[21 Apr 25 09:38 UTC] No.43749996[source]▶
> The result of a purely chronological feed is that you have to scroll through 10 posts from the same person and never see anything from people that post good content rarely.

I follow over 700 accounts on Bluesky and strictly use the following feed, and this is not my experience.

8. milesrout ◴[21 Apr 25 22:26 UTC] No.43757193[source]▶
Scrolling on social media isn't like any of those things.