I struggle with the thesis that our institutions haven't already been fatally wounded. Social media and endless content for passive consumption have already errored the free press, short-circuited decision-making, and isolated people from each other.
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> Social media and endless content for passive consumption
neither being able to speak to someone on a computer nor videos on the internet are new, fancy web 10.0 frontend notwithstanding
> and isolated people from each other.
I assume you mean doomscrolling as opposed to the communication social media affords. because social media actually connects us (unless apparently its facebook, then messaging is actually bad)
I'm not sure what you mean. The internet itself is new let alone widespread access to video sharing.
Part of the problem is that social media isn't social media anymore. Its an algorithmic feed that only occassionally shows content from people you're friends with. If Facebook went back to its early days when it was actually a communication tool, then I don't think you would see the same complaints about it.
define social media. because in UK law its defined as app or website with a chat or messaging functionality, and in US law its even more nebulously defined than that. UK law counts FitBit as social media.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/definitions/uscode.php?def_id=42...
> Its an algorithmic feed that only occassionally shows content from people you're friends with
problem how? ill assume you mean the problem is it shows you or other people stuff that will turn them toxic, not that it literally shows you other peoples content.
Most social media isn't about communication, it's about engagement bait. Most usage consists of popular accounts sending messages, then people writing replies that are never read by the original account, and some vapid argument or agreement among the replies. It essentially pretends to connect us while actually capturing our attention away from that connection.
oh like a forum then? forums had "algorithms" that put "popular" posts up top, in prominent positions. engagement bait. this very website we're on is actually engagement bait. whats the difference between HN and whatever site youre talking about?