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AIBU?

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Original poster

Social media is a plague on the world

107 replies

StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:13

I've had it with those unregulated platforms which turn us into lonely, identikit appearance-obsessed, sad conspiracy theorists. They turn political debate into riots, democracy into mob rule. The irony of saying this on a public forum is not lost on me but the news this morning of Zuckerberg ending fact-checking on Facebook, the recent delirious outbursts on X by Musk and his ridiculous meddling into world politics have led me to delete accounts I had on those platforms. I still use WhatsApp as it's just a messaging service but the rest has gone. Anyone else feels the same?

OP posts:
Original poster
StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:42

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:37

The world is not neutral and never will be. Neutral SM is not realistic. As for supposedly ‘neutral’ OFCOM regulated broadcasters I take it you haven’t seen the BBC these days?

Show quote history

But at least there is some sort of a framework in place and content on the BBC is not comparable to what's allowed to thrive on the platforms I've mentioned where extreme views are truly rampant and heralded as free speech.

OP posts:
FOJN · 08/01/2025 07:42

Zuckerberg has stated that the fact checkers were a problem because they were too politically biased which destroyed more trust than they created.

About 12 hours ago The Telegraph published an online article about 5 occasions Facebook fact checkers got things wrong. I can't read it because it's behind a paywall but I was aware of a number of occasions when the fact checkers have been influenced by an agenda.

Just before the 2020 US election I asked about the Hunter Biden laptop story on one of the many MN threads about Trump and everyone lost their shit and said it was Russian disinformation. I'd seen it discussed by alternative media for weeks. The SM companies were instructed by US three letter agencies to say it was Russian disinformation and the those who think they are informed lapped it up. When you describe other people as conspiracy theorists I just think you are a gullible fool.

There is always Blue Sky if you need a safe space from different opinions.

RampantIvy · 08/01/2025 07:42

Due to the recent abundance of snow and ice over the last few days our local Facebook pages have recently been full of people with 4WD vehicles offering to take hospital staff to work, people thanking others for clearing snow and other kindnesses. The local pages really show how much of a lovely community I live in.

It can and is being used for good as well as evil.

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:41

Tallerandtall · 08/01/2025 07:40

@StandFirm
it is and should be banned for under 18 and strictly controlled.

this can be done so don’t believe people who say it can’t

🤣🤣

We can’t even keep 12 year olds from buying vapes these days so how exactly are you planning on banning and ‘strictly controlling’ all social media?

Mmasters · 08/01/2025 07:40

Because you disagree with an opinion?

Tallerandtall · 08/01/2025 07:40

@StandFirm
it is and should be banned for under 18 and strictly controlled.

this can be done so don’t believe people who say it can’t

Original poster
StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:39

ShadowsOfTheDays · 08/01/2025 07:27

I agree in some ways, but in others...it's been my job for 15 years. I've met some of my closest friends through it. I speak to these people daily on it. I've built a successful side hustle that makes my heart sing through it.

So I guess it's maybe about how you use it?

I'm not naive and I totally understand that it's become an essential part of the media industry. I'm not judging people who use it for professional purposes and it's increasingly impossible to avoid using promotion on social media if you want a successful business. However, I mean that the quality of social and political debate has been severely degraded because there's no oversight or accountability. So, I should clarify that I have deleted all personal accounts and that MN is the only platform I am still using to participate in any debate (long time user, different names)

OP posts:
stbeaker · 08/01/2025 07:37

StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:34

Classic.
First of all, my point is that SM platforms should be neutral. As social media has gained in significance over traditional tv and radio broadcast, it should be regulated in the same way that broadcasters still are subject to OFCOM and equivalent. Precisely to ensure a level playing field for debate.
Besides, I wouldn't have deliberately chosen a 'clickbaity' title if I didn't want to engage with different views ;) And again, that is my point, people react with louder titles/content which will always skew things on social media towards the provocative end of the scale.

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Let me make a wild guess here.

You are left leaning aren’t you?

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:37

StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:34

Classic.
First of all, my point is that SM platforms should be neutral. As social media has gained in significance over traditional tv and radio broadcast, it should be regulated in the same way that broadcasters still are subject to OFCOM and equivalent. Precisely to ensure a level playing field for debate.
Besides, I wouldn't have deliberately chosen a 'clickbaity' title if I didn't want to engage with different views ;) And again, that is my point, people react with louder titles/content which will always skew things on social media towards the provocative end of the scale.

Show quote history

The world is not neutral and never will be. Neutral SM is not realistic. As for supposedly ‘neutral’ OFCOM regulated broadcasters I take it you haven’t seen the BBC these days?

CouldItBeAnyMoreObvious · 08/01/2025 07:37

Ridelikethewindypops · 08/01/2025 07:22

I agree. I think smart phones for kids will be this generation's smoking.
I think older people have the capacity and sense to step away/ log off/ delete the app. But for kids, I think smart phones and quick hit apps like tiktok are actually changing their brain chemistry and doing permanent damage.

Parents should be on top of social media use and access to phones, etc.
If parents allow kids under 16 a phone or tablet for anything other than schoolwork, it's on them.
Would you buy your under 16 a pack of 20? Unlikely.

woolflower · 08/01/2025 07:35

YANBU

And surely Mumsnet is a ‘forum’ and rather than a social media platform… or maybe I’m just a dinosaur.

Original poster
StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:34

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 07:14

I think what you probably mean is - that you don’t like platforms that largely disagree with your beliefs.

Classic.
First of all, my point is that SM platforms should be neutral. As social media has gained in significance over traditional tv and radio broadcast, it should be regulated in the same way that broadcasters still are subject to OFCOM and equivalent. Precisely to ensure a level playing field for debate.
Besides, I wouldn't have deliberately chosen a 'clickbaity' title if I didn't want to engage with different views ;) And again, that is my point, people react with louder titles/content which will always skew things on social media towards the provocative end of the scale.

OP posts:
XxSideshowAuntSallyx · 08/01/2025 07:33

Modern Social Media, Facebook etc are what you make it. But the algorithms make it so un-user friendly these days(gone are the days of MySpace). I can't wait to come back off them all, I'm using them for a purpose at the moment though so can't.

ChristmasGrinch24 · 08/01/2025 07:32

You're not wrong about Elon Musk, he needs to be stopped. First he meddled in the US elections, now he's trying to meddle in our elections.
Why is nobody doing anything about it? All addicted to social media platforms and that's why he brought x to begin with.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 08/01/2025 07:29

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:24

I take it you weren’t on the site much around election time then? It was very obvious

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Very obvious prior to Brexit too.

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 08/01/2025 07:29

Yes, it's awful. I've never had X or Instagram just FB but I logged out ages ago and I will delete it. I only use WhatsApp too.

Ridelikethewindypops · 08/01/2025 07:28

Even the creators of the tech recognise the potential harm, many choosing to restrict their own children from using social media and sending them to low tech schools.

GooseberryBeret · 08/01/2025 07:27

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:24

I take it you weren’t on the site much around election time then? It was very obvious

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Algorithms i.e. determining which posts you are shown as opposed to people posting with an agenda / bots are very different things.

ShadowsOfTheDays · 08/01/2025 07:27

I agree in some ways, but in others...it's been my job for 15 years. I've met some of my closest friends through it. I speak to these people daily on it. I've built a successful side hustle that makes my heart sing through it.

So I guess it's maybe about how you use it?

SevenWeeks · 08/01/2025 07:26

I've never used Facebook or Twitter; I think more people are turning away from those due to misinformation, scams etc. but they will just be replaced by other platforms. Stay out of it, is my rule - don't engage with platforms that don't add anything good to your life.

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 07:24

PurpleAxe · 08/01/2025 07:21

LOL, people are really upset that other people don't think like them aren't they?

Did you not know this before?

This. If the “extreme” views were views she held - I’m sure it wouldn’t be an issue.

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:24

PortiasBiscuit · 08/01/2025 07:22

I don’t think I’ve seen too many signs of obvious political algorithms on MN, but maybe they are very good…

I take it you weren’t on the site much around election time then? It was very obvious

PortiasBiscuit · 08/01/2025 07:22

I don’t think I’ve seen too many signs of obvious political algorithms on MN, but maybe they are very good…

Ridelikethewindypops · 08/01/2025 07:22

I agree. I think smart phones for kids will be this generation's smoking.
I think older people have the capacity and sense to step away/ log off/ delete the app. But for kids, I think smart phones and quick hit apps like tiktok are actually changing their brain chemistry and doing permanent damage.

PurpleAxe · 08/01/2025 07:21

LOL, people are really upset that other people don't think like them aren't they?

Did you not know this before?

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