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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Coolasfeck · 08/01/2025 08:13

I hope this is the end for the current social media platforms such as Facebook, X and Insta. We the consumers have the power here, not Zuckerberg and Musk.

If the whole world agreed to stopping use of these platforms for just 24 hours, the value of these companies would fall.

We don’t have to accept their bullshit. Zuckerberg just announced that his users can be collateral damage whilst he bends the knee to Trump. Therefore our kids can be subjected to unlimited and unregulated porn, racism, violence, lies and homophobia.

Nope. Facebook is not water, it’s not a necessity. I’ve deactivated Facebook and Insta. I still have WhatsApp because there are no ads or content from strangers.

DorianMeile · 08/01/2025 08:13

I also think it's harmful when people post pics of their kids on there every week, eating their breakfast, doing embarrassing things, sitting in the bathtub etc. Keep your kids faces off the Internet!

BobnLen · 08/01/2025 08:14

X is useful if you want to contact a business that you can't contact easily by phone but that about it

Coolasfeck · 08/01/2025 08:17

If your favourite restaurant started openly spitting in your food and using rat meat instead of beef would you keep going? Of course not so why do people keep using Facebook and Insta? Most stores do online delivery now, so why use Amazon?

Just stop. Wean yourself off from today then stop using altogether. This current crop of big tech bros will soon realise who their true bosses are. We don’t have to eat their rat meat.

FruminariaBandersnatchiosum · 08/01/2025 08:17

I agree OP but I don't think legislation would work as it only works patchily in other areas. Even those where it is seen as vital.

I think SM is a beast without an enemy strong enough to withstand it, unfortunately.

People tend to be sheeplike and just follow the arse in front of them and the manipulators behind the scenes are stronger in every sense than anyone can imagine. Until people start to think for themselves, nothing will change.

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 08:19

FruminariaBandersnatchiosum · 08/01/2025 08:17

I agree OP but I don't think legislation would work as it only works patchily in other areas. Even those where it is seen as vital.

I think SM is a beast without an enemy strong enough to withstand it, unfortunately.

People tend to be sheeplike and just follow the arse in front of them and the manipulators behind the scenes are stronger in every sense than anyone can imagine. Until people start to think for themselves, nothing will change.

I totally agree - it was embarrassing how Corbyn fooled so many young social media users.

BallerinaRadio · 08/01/2025 08:21

Adamante · 08/01/2025 08:12

I’ve seen these types of views expressed a lot lately and all I will say is that those expressing them didn’t seem to care about the dangers of SM when the discourse was going their way, ie extremely left leaning with the activists in charge deciding who to ban and what could be posted…

Except this never happened

MammaTo · 08/01/2025 08:23

I agree but I also do use social media regularly, I try to use it for what I feel it’s there for. Alongside X and the conspiracy theorists, I really really hate family vloggers that video every waking moments with their kids to make content. I appreciate it’s a way to make money if you can build up a good following, but if I was part of that family I’d start to question whether all these lovely treats the parents do are genuine or just for content - “look excited and smile for the camera when we walk into CBeebies land kids!” Mummies got to hit 10k followers.

MeltingSky · 08/01/2025 08:26

What shouldn't be allowed is billionaires buying power to meddle in politics. That's fucking dangerous and undermines democracy.

But yes, I agree, misinformation online is big problem and many get suckered in. Crazy to think we were at in human existence at the mo.

Rachmorr57 · 08/01/2025 08:28

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 08:29

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Could you be more specific.

Adamante · 08/01/2025 08:33

Except this never happened

It absolutely did Grin

Bluemonkey2029 · 08/01/2025 08:46

I agree but because it's designed to be addictive, wastes time and causes people to have less meaningful social interactions under the guise of increasing social interactions. I've deleted all social media apps (kept Mumsnet on browser for now because it's not designed like a slot machine but I hope to delete that too soon) and when I do access Facebook once a week or so (from my laptop) it's amazing just how little I've missed considering I used to waste up to an hour a day on it.

I often think people who are busy and stressed should take a look at their screen time and see if it surprises them how much time they do actually have, and waste, during the day.

ByGreenBiscuit · 08/01/2025 08:48

StandFirm · 08/01/2025 07:19

I have said in my OP that I do see the irony of sharing my thoughts online whilst criticising social media! But I think it must be regulated because as it stands it's poison.

100% agree: it’s also bloody addictive and has helped lead us all to being much more isolated, lonely and suspicious of others. Society is so much worse for these platforms.

Shirtss · 08/01/2025 08:52

The amount of hate people feel free to share online is really sad and disappointing. The transphobia on this site, for example, is disgusting. People are being radicalised and it’s dangerous. If this upsets anyone discuss it amongst yourselves- I don’t engage with bigots.

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 08:54

Shirtss · 08/01/2025 08:52

The amount of hate people feel free to share online is really sad and disappointing. The transphobia on this site, for example, is disgusting. People are being radicalised and it’s dangerous. If this upsets anyone discuss it amongst yourselves- I don’t engage with bigots.

I think it means what you mean by transphobia though.

If somebody says trans people are scum - then yes that would quite rightly be considered transphobia and should be called out.

However, if somebody says Lia Thomas should not be competing in women’s swimming that is not transphobia. Although some people would have you believe it is.

Ridelikethewindypops · 08/01/2025 09:01

I'm very much enjoying this discussion, some very thought provoking ideas put forward.

Ridelikethewindypops · 08/01/2025 09:06

I was just chatting with my kids yesterday about debating in schools ( ds, " but what's the point of it"?) I was explaining that healthy debate/ disagreement is good and necessary in life. It's important to listen to the views of others and if you disagree, disagree respectfully. It's a skill that actually needs to be taught. And also to have the experience of being disagreed with, and realise that's fine. That's actually a part of life.
No trigger warnings needed 😄

user3827 · 08/01/2025 09:30

I think MN is good in that you see everyone's views in chronological order, not "most popular " even if that makes it harder to read longer threads. I've found it very educational. Although somehow the very nature of being able to put your unmasked opinion across anonymously does make it into a bit of a spitting match

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 08/01/2025 09:33

OzCalling · 08/01/2025 07:24

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

But even then, it's not Mumsnet thats pushing the political content.

Social media like Facebook, Twitter, Tiktok all keep tabs on your behaviour, and use that to tailor content specifically for you. What they use that for, whether to confirm your existing biases, change your opinion, engage you, enrage you etc, depends on the platform and what they're after from you.

That's what's generally meant by "the algorithm"

Mumsnet doesn't do that. It doesn't matter who you are, Mumsnet shows everyone the same content. Yes, they push certain content, in the Trending and Active lists, but they don't push it to individuals. Everyone see's exactly the same stuff in those lists (providing they've not blocked any topics)

Thats the difference between an internet forum and social media. The first lets you choose the content you want to view, while the second chooses it for you.

RedToothBrush · 08/01/2025 09:39

Shirtss · 08/01/2025 08:52

The amount of hate people feel free to share online is really sad and disappointing. The transphobia on this site, for example, is disgusting. People are being radicalised and it’s dangerous. If this upsets anyone discuss it amongst yourselves- I don’t engage with bigots.

When you call safeguarding of children 'phobic' in anyway you open the door for others to fill the void you leave behind.

Enter Elon Musk. A man whose child has been harmed by an ideology which is not reflective of reality and has no medical science of any repute to back it up.

And he's pissed. And almost looking for revenge / whatever you want to call it.

That's more dangerous than a man who just wants power. He's has an enormous sense of injustice and probably rage. That's not cool and won't end well.

He's then looked for other areas he sees harm to children from authority too afraid of activists and political correctness to question actions that are questionable.

The problem is there has been clear issues with ethical practice and abuses of power within institutions that have gone on for a long time. And his sense of injustice is actually well founded.

The insanity of not questioning the trans movement is going to unravel over the next few years not because of prejudice but because of the weight of its own bullshit imploding as kids realise that transitioning isnt a magic bullet and the medical lawsuits ramp up.

A lie can not be maintained indefinitely. At some point it always cracks and collapses.

And yes there is a problem with overbearing censorship which fails to allow concerns to be heard - it lets them fester and be twisted into conspiracy theories. We might not like to talk about this, but the question of who controls the censors is one we should talk about. It's about power and accountability of governance and an inability to admit when there are problems because there's always someone there to spin and protect arses.

Elon will again gain traction purely because there is a genuine problem in this area. However it will snowball into an unpleasant backlash taking away progress we've made in areas of inequality as a result of incompetent management.

All this ultimately suits people like Musk in the long run because it shifts power to him and ironically undermines safeguarding / protections in other areas. He stands to ultimately gain. However I don't think that it's his motivation ultimately though. I think he's just a guy who has been let down by incompetence of leadership so he's 'on a mission'. This isn't true of others though who will ride on Musk's coat tails in a much more cynical way. He's a useful idiot to some who do seek power for power's sake.

None of this makes for a good combination.

Good governance includes healthy self criticism and internal reflection from all sides. Unfortunately we've had a period where dissenting voices have been labelled as 'a problem' so politics and institutions have basically gone nuts rather than ask questions. There's far too much unthinking and 'just following orders' that's gone on because no one wanted to ask the difficult questions as it's career killing.

We are where we are because of a dynamic of arse covering and shutting down critical thinking from multiple sections of the political spectrum.

When people who are thinking critically and are recognising genuine problems in a proportionate without going nuts get smeared as bigots it doesn't help anyone.

The situation is one created by people unwilling to listen. It's not one created by an evil bogie man billionaire as much as people seek it to be.

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 08/01/2025 09:49

Shirtss · 08/01/2025 08:52

The amount of hate people feel free to share online is really sad and disappointing. The transphobia on this site, for example, is disgusting. People are being radicalised and it’s dangerous. If this upsets anyone discuss it amongst yourselves- I don’t engage with bigots.

Is the transphobia in the room with us right now?

ByGreenBiscuit · 08/01/2025 09:51

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.

I’m not sure that older people do. I’m 45 and would say I’m quite addicted. As is my mother who is 74.

ByHardyAquaFox · 08/01/2025 10:01

"If hate this platform because people that don't share my views use it."

stbeaker · 08/01/2025 10:03

ByHardyAquaFox · 08/01/2025 10:01

"If hate this platform because people that don't share my views use it."

This is what OP means