It’s 2023 and there are more open source, decentralized social media options than ever before like Lemmy, Mastodon, and more. However, I still find myself using some big tech platforms like Twitter and Google News fairly often. While federated social networks are compelling, the content curation and discovery on platforms like Twitter seems better for my interests. The echo chambers of Twitter feel preferable to the noise of something like Mastodon. What about you all? Have you moved completely to open source social platforms, or do you still rely on some big tech ones too? I’m curious to hear your perspectives!
Still use Google search, but switched out Chrome for Firefox recently and it’s working out well. I do still use their calendar, docs apps but I’ve never been a big one for YouTube. I do have some Google speakers though and use Maps all the time - so I guess out of big tech Google is the one I’m suckered into the most…
Stopped using Facebook around 2016 and deleted my Twitter account a few years before that, basically when the novelty had long gone and it all seemed to be more toxic.
In the UK around that time it was just everyone going on about Brexit on Facebook but even before then people weren’t sharing stuff about themselves (with good reason) so it was just low effort memes). Use Facebook once in a blue moon to get in touch with really old friends
Didn’t miss either, although I recently signed up to Mastodon more just to see how the fediverse worked over there.
Then Reddit - probably the social media I was most invested in just because it was so granular in it’s There’s A Sub For That ability to cater for virtually all interests. But the utter disdain they held for their own volunteers and the contempt they seem to hold virtually everyone in was a bit of a wake up call. I do go back and check on it but I’m finding that I check on it less. Fedi has less content so I am reading all those eBooks I should have been reading instead!
My son is 7, I’m interested in how things are looking in 5 year’s time when he’s an early teen. He’s already got bored of watching YouTube videos, tiktok isn’t really a thing with us or anyone we know yet… time will tell I suppose. The main thing will be constant reminders that porn isn’t real and cyber security lectures
I remember my parents telling me id get something like a free drivers license if i didnt smoke before 18.
My son is getting a ‘homebrew’ 3Ds & Switch, later Steam Deck II etc if he stays away from tiktok, roblox, youtube and the likes :)
If he wants to watch something id rather build a server and curate it.