←back to thread

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

(www.nber.org)
506 points imakwana | 2 comments | 21 Apr 25 04:24 UTC | HN request time: 0.704s | source
Show context
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.
replies(44): >>43748823 #>>43748874 #>>43748878 #>>43748882 #>>43748912 #>>43748946 #>>43748985 #>>43748997 #>>43749037 #>>43749040 #>>43749043 #>>43749061 #>>43749129 #>>43749163 #>>43749264 #>>43749275 #>>43749625 #>>43749722 #>>43749867 #>>43750208 #>>43750767 #>>43750813 #>>43750966 #>>43751755 #>>43751799 #>>43751999 #>>43752008 #>>43752105 #>>43752184 #>>43752274 #>>43752423 #>>43752817 #>>43753125 #>>43753208 #>>43753655 #>>43753915 #>>43753930 #>>43753949 #>>43754346 #>>43759071 #>>43759189 #>>43766213 #>>43773772 #>>43828684 #
smelendez ◴[21 Apr 25 06:39 UTC] No.43748997[source]▶
This has moved heavily into group chats and I’m not sure it’s coming back.

Group chats are basically the Circles that Google+ saw the need for but could never get fully set up. A lot of people don’t want to share personal updates and photos to a broad swath of friends and acquaintances.

Meanwhile Instagram and Facebook keep evolving. Facebook is turning into a weird Reddit for older people. Instagram is turning into a hipper LinkedIn, where artists, musicians, and local businesses share career and business updates and advertise their wares.

replies(14): >>43749044 #>>43749126 #>>43749251 #>>43749477 #>>43749516 #>>43750401 #>>43750840 #>>43750856 #>>43751684 #>>43751697 #>>43752193 #>>43763125 #>>43765764 #>>43780924 #
raffraffraff ◴[21 Apr 25 06:50 UTC] No.43749044[source]▶
Wife went cold turkey on social media and then had to join Instagram and LinkedIn for her business. Now she's addicted to Instagram.

No LinkedIn, not you, you boring Ted Talk humblebrag.

replies(1): >>43749322 #
blitzar ◴[21 Apr 25 07:44 UTC] No.43749322[source]▶
People love LinkedIn cringe on instagram and twitter - but on LinkedIn itself you have to confront the reality that these people, often colleagues / former colleagues etc. are being serious
replies(5): >>43749397 #>>43750580 #>>43750921 #>>43753088 #>>43775749 #
1. alabastervlog ◴[21 Apr 25 15:31 UTC] No.43753088[source]▶
> but on LinkedIn itself you have to confront the reality that these people, often colleagues / former colleagues etc. are being serious

I doubt many are being serious.

Business culture (at least in the US) is so steeped in lying and general fake-ness that in-group signaling as "real business person" involves public performances of bullshit.

It's what you're supposed to do in interviews: bullshit just the right way, to show you understand the game and are willing to debase yourself to play it. Otherwise you're "risky", either due to excessive commitment to ethical principles or to being too clueless or inept to play the game right. That's what's going on, on LinkedIn. "Humility" and "realness" even have to be faked just the right way.

It's incredibly gross.

replies(1): >>43778871 #
2. seec ◴[24 Apr 25 02:55 UTC] No.43778871[source]▶
That's probably one reason that business degrades over time. With that type of "requirement" you can't get anyone worth a dam to work for you, past a certain point.