Understanding You Are The Product For Social Media Companies (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

We talked about this recently with Facebook Groups. 

And this is sort of a convergence of worlds for me lately as I just finished Johann Hari's Lost Connections excellent book where he talks a good bit about how digital "connections" are no substitute for real connections and how social media can have some strongly negative effects on people. 

If you know me, you know I'm a frequent user of Social Media but I'm not a fan. I have strong concerns over how the platforms exploit psychological and social vulnerabilities to drive profits.

Brett McKay has an interesting article here on understanding social media and better using it as a tool. And the podcast link in the article to his talk with Cal Newport is helpful. I don't condemn social media. I think it can be used for good things. But I think it's important to understand the business and realize you and your targeted demographics and tendencies are the real product.

McKay suggests using newsletters and RSS feeds instead of relying on the social media companies to spoon feed you what they want you to see. And what the advertisers have paid for you to see. To be fair, he's in the business, like I am, of providing content in newsletters and online. But his point is the customer should take control over what they see, not depend on a social media / data harvesting company to feed you. 

What do you think?

 

[Joe Bryant]

And to McKay's suggestion for using RSS readers instead of relying on the social media company's algorithm or ad sales to drive what you see, do you guys have strategies you like there?

 

[Slapdash]

And to McKay's suggestion for using RSS readers instead of relying on the social media company's algorithm or ad sales to drive what you see, do you guys have strategies you like there?

Well, unfortunately, RSS feeds have seen a huge decline ever sense Google Reader was shut down. Both in usability of them and the content allowed on them (many bloggers started putting their conent in RSS behind a link).  The fragmentation of RSS readers/content also limits the ability to discuss the content with other readers and the authors of content, something that Twitter excels at.

Used to be a huge fan of RSS, but now I hardly open the app for it

 

[Joe Bryant]

Well, unfortunately, RSS feeds have seen a huge decline ever sense Google Reader was shut down. Both in usability of them and the content allowed on them (many bloggers started putting their conent in RSS behind a link).  The fragmentation of RSS readers/content also limits the ability to discuss the content with other readers and the authors of content, something that Twitter excels at.

Used to be a huge fan of RSS, but now I hardly open the app for it

Agreed. They've seen a large decline. McKay says he used Reader and then suggests these in his article. Do you have experience with them?

Feedly. This is what I use. They have a free version and a paid version. 

Feedreader

Feeder

The Old Reader

Inoreader. Inoreader has a more visual feel to it. Sort of like Flipboard.

 

[Ilov80s]

And to McKay's suggestion for using RSS readers instead of relying on the social media company's algorithm or ad sales to drive what you see, do you guys have strategies you like there?

I mostly only use Twitter. I am on IG but it's mostly looking at fit women, checking out beer releases and seeing pictures of friends. On Twitter, there's not that many ads and I pay no attention to them. I choose who I follow so I feel it's just as catered as an RSS feed. I don't really understand the idea that I am relying on Twitter to tell me or not tell me anything. 

 

[Slapdash]

Agreed. They've seen a large decline. McKay says he used Reader and then suggests these in his article. Do you have experience with them?

I like Inoreader the most as it has the most consistent experience on desktop and mobile.  But, still, I barely use it these days.  Most of my usage is to download things to read offline on a flight.  Just seems like most of the people I would follow on there (economic bloggers) are more active on Twitter/other platforms.

 

[Slapdash]

I agree with McKay's take on that... that's the best part about Feedly

That being said, clicking though to the content gives you that option. 

You can do that with Inoreader too, but the community on that platform just isn't big enough anymore IMO.  Anyways, just my two cents

 

[Ralph Furley]

My personal belief is FB needs to go the route of Netflix and become subscription based, or at a minimum, offer this feature to turn off advertisers.  We (users) are unquestionably the target, and in this model the primary organization (FB) is inherently conflicted due to the obvious need of how to monetize their business model.  Absence of “pay for play” forces them to monetize us, therefor their real customers are advertisers.  As long as users look for “free” access we will continue to be monetized and will come with all the unintended consequences.

Any business that puts themselves between the true users, and their need to make money, is inherently at risk for abuse, and ultimately failure.

 

[Joe Bryant]

My friend responded with this article detailing the death of RSS.

I'll be honest, I find most of the writers points lacking. He calls the lack of RSS feeds to recommend more feeds you might like "it's greatest failing today"? 

You find them the same way you find good podcasts. You ask people. You read article on how to find good info. 

This actually is a huge point. The idea that now we've become helpless to find new things to read without the parent company telling us what to read next? A parent who obviously has interests in manipulating the psychological vulnerabilities of it's customers. 

That's pathetic. 

https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/07/rss-is-undead/

 

[Nathan R. Jessep]

interesting article  

 

[NutterButter]

I prefer just reading magazines.   My library has a nice app that has a bunch of them for free.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/24/the-anxious-generation-qa-00147880

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/25-years-later-were-all-trapped-in-the-matrix-3f3a3aea

 

[belljr]

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/24/the-anxious-generation-qa-00147880

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/25-years-later-were-all-trapped-in-the-matrix-3f3a3aea

While I agree with this - I also find it interesting - that my own personal anecdote is my kid suffered from things listed here and she was not on social media and barely is now....

 

[Andy Dufresne]

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/24/the-anxious-generation-qa-00147880

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/25-years-later-were-all-trapped-in-the-matrix-3f3a3aea

While I agree with this - I also find it interesting - that my own personal anecdote is my kid suffered from things listed here and she was not on social media and barely is now....

Could be the Catch 22 of the situation we're in - being on social media leads to feelings of depression and anxiety but if everyone is on it and you're not then it makes you depressed and anxious.

IMO those are symptoms of being a teen, but they're exacerbated greatly by SM.

 

[belljr]

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/03/24/the-anxious-generation-qa-00147880

https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/25-years-later-were-all-trapped-in-the-matrix-3f3a3aea

While I agree with this - I also find it interesting - that my own personal anecdote is my kid suffered from things listed here and she was not on social media and barely is now....

Could be the Catch 22 of the situation we're in - being on social media leads to feelings of depression and anxiety but if everyone is on it and you're not then it makes you depressed and anxious.

IMO those are symptoms of being a teen, but they're exacerbated greatly by SM.

agree. I know "now" my kid was bullied for a couple years and didn't realize how that increased her "issues". I chalked it up to being a kid/teen and told her as much but it definitely was a bit "more" than regular teen crap.

 

[beer 30]

Just finished up this Rogan podcast with Jonathan Haidt on this subject. Some interesting thoughts regarding shielding children from social media as long as possible.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Just finished up this Rogan podcast with Jonathan Haidt on this subject. Some interesting thoughts regarding shielding children from social media as long as possible.

Super interesting. I know he's making the rounds with his new book coming out and I was thinking about Haidt yesterday.

This is interesting.

First He Came for Cancel Culture. Now He Wants to Cancel Smartphones​

The N.Y.U. professor Jonathan Haidt became a favorite in Silicon Valley for his work on what he called the “coddling” of young people. Now, he has an idea for fixing Gen Z.

NYTimes gifted article you should be able to read without a paywall.

 

[Joe Bryant]

@beer 30 can you give us the highlights from the Rogan interview?

 

[SWC]

if you are online and not paying for a product then you are the product take that to the bank bromigos

 

[Runkle]

Could be the Catch 22 of the situation we're in - being on social media leads to feelings of depression and anxiety but if everyone is on it and you're not then it makes you depressed and anxious.

IMO those are symptoms of being a teen, but they're exacerbated greatly by SM.

I believe there was a recent Freakanomics podcast episode which discussed the idea of the Social Media Trap, it is a strange product in that not using it "costs" more than using it.

 

[beer 30]

@beer 30 can you give us the highlights from the Rogan interview?

Yea, it's pretty much him pimping his new book but the thing I really took from it is the absolute damage social media is causing the youth, especially young girls. Below kind of summarizes the crux of the discussion.

At the start of the 2010s, rates of teenage mental illness took a sharp upward turn, and they have been rising ever since. Among US college students, diagnoses of depression and anxiety more than doubled between 2010 and 2018. More worrying still, in the decade to 2020 the number of emergency room visits for self-harm rose by 188% among teenage girls in the US and 48% among boys. The suicide rate for younger adolescents also increased, by 167% among girls and 91% among boys. A similar trend has been observed in the UK and many other western countries. The American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes this mental health crisis has been driven by the mass adoption of smartphones, along with the advent of social media and addictive online gaming. He calls it “the Great Rewiring of Childhood”. Quote from The Guardian.

He then outlines the 4 steps he (Haidt) thinks would assist in turning some of these numbers around. I don't recall all of them but one was phone free schools. I think he also proposed not allowing kids on the internet until they are 16, something like that. He makes some points that hit home with me being the dad of two girls (well women now). My oldest missed the social media craze by a few years, had a phone but it wasn't a huge deal when she got it. My youngest (by 5 years) hit smack in the middle of the worst of it and it definitely caused issues. She went to school and got a psychology degree to better understand some of the stuff she went through. Got a great head on her shoulders now and is fine but there are so many kids out there that are caught up in the matrix and suffer big time in social settings. And you can't pry a damn phone out of their hands, it's a serious addiction.

 

[Joe Bryant]

discussed the idea of the Social Media Trap, it is a strange product in that not using it "costs" more than using it.

Thank you. That's to be determined though. I think some of the costs of "missing out" may actually not be as high as the costs of using it for some people. I think that's what we're starting to see.

 

[RCon]

discussed the idea of the Social Media Trap, it is a strange product in that not using it "costs" more than using it.

Thank you. That's to be determined though. I think some of the costs of "missing out" may actually not be as high as the costs of using it for some people. I think that's what we're starting to see.

I'm not sure how one would measure such "costs". It's going to be different for everyone and you can only see one of the possible outcomes for any given person. For example, I had the same policies for each of my kids, yet the results were different. Moreover, there's no way for me to see what the outcome would have been for any of the kids had I gone with a different policy.

 

[Mister CIA]

if you are online and not paying for a product then you are the product take that to the bank bromigos

Ha, my rule is, if I didn't read the terms of services (license and/or subscription agreements) and any related privacy policies with a fine-tooth comb, I am the product, whether I paid for it or not.

 

[GroveDiesel]

I may have mentioned it at some point before on the board, but an absolute stomach churning moment for me happens about 5-6 years ago.

I was driving a car full of teenage girls to an event for our church’s youth group and they started talking about Instagram and it made me nauseous. They all knew exactly which post of theirs had the most likes. They knew which poses generated more likes than other poses. They knew what types of outfits got more likes. They knew exactly how many followers they had and who followed them or unfollowed them. They knew who in their wider friend group had the most followers and who got the most likes. There was zero question that “likes” are absolutely social currency and it heavily influenced them all. Their self worth was being impacted in significant ways. It greatly saddened me. I’m so grateful I didn’t grow up in an era of social media and heartbroken that my daughter is (though she’s not as plugged into social media as most are).

 

[rockaction]

Ugh. That's terrible to hear, GroveDiesel. That's not what we should want as a society, and it doesn't surprise that young girls are that way. I completely believe it and it makes sense. Doesn't seem like only an anecdotal truth, either.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Could be the Catch 22 of the situation we're in - being on social media leads to feelings of depression and anxiety but if everyone is on it and you're not then it makes you depressed and anxious.

IMO those are symptoms of being a teen, but they're exacerbated greatly by SM.

I believe there was a recent Freakanomics podcast episode which discussed the idea of the Social Media Trap, it is a strange product in that not using it "costs" more than using it.

I guess I can see that for teenagers +/- young adults, but do you believe the same applies to people beyond their mid-twenties?

 

[FairWarning]

Could be the Catch 22 of the situation we're in - being on social media leads to feelings of depression and anxiety but if everyone is on it and you're not then it makes you depressed and anxious.

IMO those are symptoms of being a teen, but they're exacerbated greatly by SM.

I believe there was a recent Freakanomics podcast episode which discussed the idea of the Social Media Trap, it is a strange product in that not using it "costs" more than using it.

I guess I can see that for teenagers +/- young adults, but do you believe the same applies to people beyond their mid-twenties?

For some, most definitely. There is a market for people buying followers so they can have more influence.

 

[Hastur]

Once you realize there are social media posts that are blatantly wrong on purpose because that gets more views/responses, it makes you look at religious and political posts with a little more suspicion...I hope.

 

[rockaction]

@Joe Bryant I’m writing this late Friday night because I’ve spent a lot of time at Twitter/X lately and was starting to get really affected by it. I’m as susceptible as anyone to relentless agitprop so this thread was a great idea and great reminder to reset and calm down.

But the place and moment where I began to see it crystallize was when Joe Rogan (who you like, I think) had either unwittingly or knowingly platformed WWII revisionists and Holocaust revisionists and their friends. And he was defending them and seemingly flirting with antisemitism in later shows. If somebody that media savvy and attuned to filtering out garbage is prey, then we are in serious trouble.

So he’s apparently gotten himself into an echo chamber where he’s having to explain away some really ugly guests. I can go through it with you if you’re interested; if not, then let me just say that this thread couldn’t be more accurate and that I think that social media is completely overrun by Russian, CCP, Islamic, and other types of bots that are a cheap way to sow political and social discord in the U. S.

I am watching extremism skyrocket in almost real time. All this information is paradoxically leading us toward tyranny and I only hope that people who aren’t plugged in pull the plug on movements left and right.

 

[Gatorade]

Other than a few news stories that show up on my phone, I tend to stay away from all social media. I think I am much better off for it.

 

[rockaction]

Other than a few news stories that show up on my phone, I tend to stay away from all social media. I think I am much better off for it.

If you haven’t heard about Karmelo Anthony and Shiloh Hendrix consider yourself blessed. What a crappy duo of stories, and it’s definitely been seized upon by extremists and fake accounts/bots/unattributable farms

 

[Captain Cranks]

@Joe Bryant I’m writing this late Friday night because I’ve spent a lot of time at Twitter/X lately and was starting to get really affected by it. I’m as susceptible as anyone to relentless agitprop so this thread was a great idea and great reminder to reset and calm down.

But the place and moment where I began to see it crystallize was when Joe Rogan (who you like, I think) had either unwittingly or knowingly platformed WWII revisionists and Holocaust revisionists and their friends. And he was defending them and seemingly flirting with antisemitism in later shows. If somebody that media savvy and attuned to filtering out garbage is prey, then we are in serious trouble.

So he’s apparently gotten himself into an echo chamber where he’s having to explain away some really ugly guests. I can go through it with you if you’re interested; if not, then let me just say that this thread couldn’t be more accurate and that I think that social media is completely overrun by Russian, CCP, Islamic, and other types of bots that are a cheap way to sow political and social discord in the U. S.

I am watching extremism skyrocket in almost real time. All this information is paradoxically leading us toward tyranny and I only hope that people who aren’t plugged in pull the plug on movements left and right.

I don't think it's mere coincidence that the political division and broadening out to the extremes occurred during the expansion of social media. I've been saying for years that it, along with cable news networks, are leading us down a dark and ugly path. Twitter is as toxic as it gets.

 

[Joe Bryant]

@Joe Bryant I’m writing this late Friday night because I’ve spent a lot of time at Twitter/X lately and was starting to get really affected by it. I’m as susceptible as anyone to relentless agitprop so this thread was a great idea and great reminder to reset and calm down.

But the place and moment where I began to see it crystallize was when Joe Rogan (who you like, I think) had either unwittingly or knowingly platformed WWII revisionists and Holocaust revisionists and their friends. And he was defending them and seemingly flirting with antisemitism in later shows. If somebody that media savvy and attuned to filtering out garbage is prey, then we are in serious trouble.

So he’s apparently gotten himself into an echo chamber where he’s having to explain away some really ugly guests. I can go through it with you if you’re interested; if not, then let me just say that this thread couldn’t be more accurate and that I think that social media is completely overrun by Russian, CCP, Islamic, and other types of bots that are a cheap way to sow political and social discord in the U. S.

I am watching extremism skyrocket in almost real time. All this information is paradoxically leading us toward tyranny and I only hope that people who aren’t plugged in pull the plug on movements left and right.

I don't really have an opinion on liking or not liking Joe Rogan. Unfortunately, we're now at a place where people pre judge others for who they "like".

I've listened to probably a dozen Rogan interviews in my life. I like long form interviews and the ability to let a subject wander instead of going for sounbites. He sometimes has guests on that are interesting and sometimes have a perspective differnet than mine that I enjoy.

I realize a lot of YouTube is repurposed on X but I see a pretty distinct line between media companies like Rogan's that produces content to be consumed than I do social media platforms like X or Intagram or Facebook.

I still use X extensively and find it invaluable for doing my job.

I use it extensively for Football information. I use it extensively for business learning and marketing and keeping up with AI advances.

It's probably my most visited site because it's so useful to me.

To switch gears, what I was talking about with the original post here is a different thing.

That was from 2019 but I still very much believe the point of you are the product for social media companies. And I think one has to be VERY careful there in how they consume.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

 

[Joe Bryant]

In the Vaynerchuk video above, he pulls out his phone and shows the camera his feed.

It was posts about sports and business and fitness and sleep. Basically what mine is.

Becuase that's what I consume and social media platforms want to give me posts they think I'll engage with.

 

[rockaction]

I don't really have an opinion on liking or not liking Joe Rogan. Unfortunately, we're now at a place where people pre judge others for who they "like".

Ah, I see. I thought you had commented on him and liked his show. I was probably thinking you made a comment from one of the shows you had seen. I know you’ve spoken positively about X and your business. That the people he is having on his show are popular on X is something I thought was both relevant to your stability thread and your OP here to be careful on social media (I suspect Rogan went down a rabbit hole, didn’t vet, and got burned).

No big deal; I just thought that his recent kerfuffle illustrated your point about stability mixed with the consumer as product. It’s also personal; McKay’s article (in your OP) mentions the algorithm that determines what you see. I’m seeing tons of racial stuff and it’s horrifying and I’m pretty sure it’s driven by foreign actors and bots.

These might be what I’m remembering and why I asked. You started these threads, so I was under the impression you knew or listened. My apologies if I was untoward.

Thread 'Does Joe Rogan Do A Condensed Version Of His Podcasts?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...o-a-condensed-version-of-his-podcasts.803096/

Post in thread 'Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan's Podcast?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...emove-joe-rogans-podcast.803101/post-23862858

Thread 'Joe Rogan Endorsement of Bernie Sanders - A Negative?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/threads/joe-rogan-endorsement-of-bernie-sanders-a-negative.783491/

There was also “Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan’s Podcast” in the Politics Forum.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Once you realize there are social media posts that are blatantly wrong on purpose because that gets more views/responses, it makes you look at religious and political posts with a little more suspicion...I hope.

I look at EVERYTHING I see online with a huge amount of suspicion. No matter the source. My wife showed me a pick of trump as the pope this morning, allegedly put out by trump himself. My immediate response, “no way that’s real”. She was on People magazine’s site when she showed me. Then she she told me she originally saw it on TMZ. That’s when I knew it had to be real. TMZ DOES NOT F AROUND. sadly, it was real. But I still verified it.

I verify everything on at least 2-3 sites these days. It’s really the only downside to no politics here for me. FBGs used to be one of my trusted sources. Because many on here are like me and verify before posting, or if posted in error, were corrected. Hopefully this survives the no politics.

And to the original post, social media is gross.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

@Joe Bryant I’m writing this late Friday night because I’ve spent a lot of time at Twitter/X lately and was starting to get really affected by it. I’m as susceptible as anyone to relentless agitprop so this thread was a great idea and great reminder to reset and calm down.

But the place and moment where I began to see it crystallize was when Joe Rogan (who you like, I think) had either unwittingly or knowingly platformed WWII revisionists and Holocaust revisionists and their friends. And he was defending them and seemingly flirting with antisemitism in later shows. If somebody that media savvy and attuned to filtering out garbage is prey, then we are in serious trouble.

So he’s apparently gotten himself into an echo chamber where he’s having to explain away some really ugly guests. I can go through it with you if you’re interested; if not, then let me just say that this thread couldn’t be more accurate and that I think that social media is completely overrun by Russian, CCP, Islamic, and other types of bots that are a cheap way to sow political and social discord in the U. S.

I am watching extremism skyrocket in almost real time. All this information is paradoxically leading us toward tyranny and I only hope that people who aren’t plugged in pull the plug on movements left and right.

I don't think it's mere coincidence that the political division and broadening out to the extremes occurred during the expansion of social media. I've been saying for years that it, along with cable news networks, are leading us down a dark and ugly path. Twitter is as toxic as it gets.

I dumped twitter as this last election cycle ramped up. It became too rancid. I used to enjoy it for news and such. But it changed after turning into x

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

My 80 year old mom has this figured out. She just likes more stuff about elephants and other animals When her phone starts showing her stuff she doesn’t like.

 

[jwb]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

100%.

The stuff you see is the stuff you *want* to see. Period.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I don't really have an opinion on liking or not liking Joe Rogan. Unfortunately, we're now at a place where people pre judge others for who they "like".

Ah, I see. I thought you had commented on him and liked his show. I was probably thinking you made a comment from one of the shows you had seen. I know you’ve spoken positively about X and your business. That the people he is having on his show are popular on X is something I thought was both relevant to your stability thread and your OP here to be careful on social media (I suspect Rogan went down a rabbit hole, didn’t vet, and got burned).

No big deal; I just thought that his recent kerfuffle illustrated your point about stability mixed with the consumer as product. It’s also personal; McKay’s article (in your OP) mentions the algorithm that determines what you see. I’m seeing tons of racial stuff and it’s horrifying and I’m pretty sure it’s driven by foreign actors and bots.

These might be what I’m remembering and why I asked. You started these threads, so I was under the impression you knew or listened. My apologies if I was untoward.

Thread 'Does Joe Rogan Do A Condensed Version Of His Podcasts?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...o-a-condensed-version-of-his-podcasts.803096/

Post in thread 'Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan's Podcast?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...emove-joe-rogans-podcast.803101/post-23862858

Thread 'Joe Rogan Endorsement of Bernie Sanders - A Negative?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/threads/joe-rogan-endorsement-of-bernie-sanders-a-negative.783491/

There was also “Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan’s Podcast” in the Politics Forum.

Yes. He's often in the news and over the years I've commented on several topics like the above.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

100%.

The stuff you see is the stuff you *want* to see. Period.

I'm not quite as fired up on this as Vaynerchuk, but that line of "The Algorithm isn't influencing you. The Algorithm is exposing you" to be pointed.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

My 80 year old mom has this figured out. She just likes more stuff about elephants and other animals When her phone starts showing her stuff she doesn’t like.

Absolutley. It really is that simple. Search for a topic you want to see more of. Like a bunch of those posts. And watch the algorithm change.

@DA RAIDERS Mom showing us the way.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Gary Varynerchuk who I think likely knows and understands Social Media better than anyone I know had a telling post the other day.

It's Vaynerchuk so it's NSFW, but I'll break my own rule here and link to it. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGTDkrcO2gt/?igsh=bHhyM3hpamQ2bGlz

Basically, he's ranting on the idea that people don't have any control and we are blaming everything on "The Algorithm".

He heatedly says the Algorithm isn't forcing you to consume things. The algorithm is exposing you for what you consume.

He said go to search and pull up a bunch of posts about your favorite NFL team and like them.

Then start to see how your algorithm changes.

This has been completely true in my experience.

Social media platforms want to keep you on the platform. They do that by showing you things you've proven you engage with.

100%.

The stuff you see is the stuff you *want* to see. Period.

Or what your wife and daughter are shopping for. Which sometimes has surprising benefits.

 

[rockaction]

I don't really have an opinion on liking or not liking Joe Rogan. Unfortunately, we're now at a place where people pre judge others for who they "like".

Ah, I see. I thought you had commented on him and liked his show. I was probably thinking you made a comment from one of the shows you had seen. I know you’ve spoken positively about X and your business. That the people he is having on his show are popular on X is something I thought was both relevant to your stability thread and your OP here to be careful on social media (I suspect Rogan went down a rabbit hole, didn’t vet, and got burned).

No big deal; I just thought that his recent kerfuffle illustrated your point about stability mixed with the consumer as product. It’s also personal; McKay’s article (in your OP) mentions the algorithm that determines what you see. I’m seeing tons of racial stuff and it’s horrifying and I’m pretty sure it’s driven by foreign actors and bots.

These might be what I’m remembering and why I asked. You started these threads, so I was under the impression you knew or listened. My apologies if I was untoward.

Thread 'Does Joe Rogan Do A Condensed Version Of His Podcasts?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...o-a-condensed-version-of-his-podcasts.803096/

Post in thread 'Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan's Podcast?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/thr...emove-joe-rogans-podcast.803101/post-23862858

Thread 'Joe Rogan Endorsement of Bernie Sanders - A Negative?'
https://forums.footballguys.com/threads/joe-rogan-endorsement-of-bernie-sanders-a-negative.783491/

There was also “Should Spotify Remove Joe Rogan’s Podcast” in the Politics Forum.

Yes. He's often in the news and over the years I've commented on several topics like the above.

Yeah, you started these topics. They’re yours. I don’t think anything negative or positive about it. Just telling you why I got that impression. If I’d started five threads about, say, Betty Crocker one might think I was interested in baking in some way. They’d be wrong, but I would get the inference.

I seriously don’t care either way, and I just want to clarify to the reader I’m not nuts to make that inference. Nor obsessed about it. I freaking love vinyl records and other things and I haven’t started five+ threads with vinyl records in the title.

LOL. Carry on, Joe. Good to be here today. Glad I saw these last night. Gave me comfort after looking at some rough stuff.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I do think the topic is a good one as being careful with how one consumes is key.

For me on X, I do a lot of lists where I only see posts from the authors in the list.

It's a fantastic way to use it.

For Instagram, I mainly just am super careful about what I click on and "like" as I know whatever I do there, I'll see more of.

I do think it's important too to know when to set the phone down. Even if it's useful information, the amount of content is seemingly infinite. And it can be overwhelming.