22 Sep '20 15:43>
In a conversation with a friend, I explained why I am refraining from clicking on the “like” button on social media. He responded to one of my recent postings on FaceBook, stating that if people didn’t have the “like” button, they would post less. My response is , “yes!” which is exactly why the “like” option is placed on every post and on every comment.
The creators and execs at FaceBook (and other social media platforms) rely on people returning often to check out their notifications, thereby creating, enhancing and updating an algorithm that provides information about how to advertise to that individual. One might say, “Well, I will simply ignore the adverts and make up my own mind.” This capability to ignore adverts may be true, but it doesn’t address the very fact that the algorithm also controls who one sees, the frequency and sometimes the order in which one sees it..a very difficult thing to ignore or manage and requires the same time and effort as individually seeking out friends as one might do in face to face interactions.
After watching The Social Dilemma, I came to the awareness, in a sort of Marxist framework, that by buying into the “like” option, I become an instrument of social media production. In fact, become the product itself, which by it’s very nature makes me consumable and expendable to the consumer. I didn’t like that at all.
My purpose in refraining from clicking “likes” is my personal rebellion and revolution against the capitalistic methods which FaceBook and other social media platforms use to direct my behavior through their advertising schemes.
YouTube
The creators and execs at FaceBook (and other social media platforms) rely on people returning often to check out their notifications, thereby creating, enhancing and updating an algorithm that provides information about how to advertise to that individual. One might say, “Well, I will simply ignore the adverts and make up my own mind.” This capability to ignore adverts may be true, but it doesn’t address the very fact that the algorithm also controls who one sees, the frequency and sometimes the order in which one sees it..a very difficult thing to ignore or manage and requires the same time and effort as individually seeking out friends as one might do in face to face interactions.
After watching The Social Dilemma, I came to the awareness, in a sort of Marxist framework, that by buying into the “like” option, I become an instrument of social media production. In fact, become the product itself, which by it’s very nature makes me consumable and expendable to the consumer. I didn’t like that at all.
My purpose in refraining from clicking “likes” is my personal rebellion and revolution against the capitalistic methods which FaceBook and other social media platforms use to direct my behavior through their advertising schemes.
YouTube