Are social networks unhealthy for minors?
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@kleisli @evan A lot of people complain about social anxiety and loneliness, and I truly believe that the over reliance on social networks to be basically the only source of connection is the driving force behind that
You had both the ability to completely disconnect and also had to make an effort to go out and find whatever new things you wanted, things humans have done for centures.
In 10 years, we lost that. Of course our minds feel weird.
@kleisli @evan Also, performing is exhausting. Social networks train people to perform 24/7.
You take a picture but it’s not for your personal album, it’s for many likes.
You post something and keep waiting for someone else to reply, or worried about others might think.
An entire generation grew up not knowing what is having a private thought
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@evan Not inherently, but as soon as someone decides to introduce an algorithm to increase engagement they become unhealthy for everyone.
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@evan Yes, if you mean "social" networks with feeds populated by intransparent algorithms.
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Yes, but pretty much everything is unhealthy for minors, so there you go.
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@evan No, the GAFAM are unhealthy for minors.
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@evan No, not in general, but the way most current profit-oriented, algorithmic networks work are unhealthy.
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@evan@cosocial.ca No, but targeted advertising is, so in practice most are.
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@evan Not social networks per se, but the purposefully addictive design that tries to keep people on platforms and show them ads and the lack of reporting and moderation are issues that affect everyone but minors disproportionally
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@evan depends on the social network, but not inherently. So I went with "no, but."
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@malte isn't this a social network?
@evan It is. I think you know that too, so I wonder how come you ask.
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@evan It is. I think you know that too, so I wonder how come you ask.
@malte because you said that you're on the Fediverse because social networks are unhealthy for kids and adults. For me, that means either that you don't think the Fediverse is a social network, or that you think it's ok or necessary to do something unhealthy.
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@malte because you said that you're on the Fediverse because social networks are unhealthy for kids and adults. For me, that means either that you don't think the Fediverse is a social network, or that you think it's ok or necessary to do something unhealthy.
@evan What I meant to say is that I think the way social networks work at the moment are overall unhealthy for us. The reason I'm here is that I see this as the most likely place to improve the situation.
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@evan It is not that social networks exist, or that they are social that makes them unhealthy, it's algorithmic manipulation by billionaires.
I have just had the unfortunately experience these past few days of what happens when Facebook randomly decides to put my political posts in front of the eyeballs of angry white men.
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@evan I answered Yes, but. I think rather than social networks in their entirety it is algorithms designed to encourage addiction and amplifying harmful content that are most unhealthy (for everyone not just minors).
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The only reason why I am here typing is because there were people who liked my tweets at Twitter.
If I didn't have SNS, I would have unalived myself at 10. -
The only reason why I am here typing is because there were people who liked my tweets at Twitter.
If I didn't have SNS, I would have unalived myself at 10.@rio thanks for being here.


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@evan I mean, they are unhealthy for everyone.
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@evan No, but the ones from big techs or with addiction-inducing algorithms are
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@evan
Anything indulged in to excess will be unhealthy. Don't quite see why Google and Meta should be to blame in that Los Angeles court case though, no matter how ugly their algorithms are. It's like blaming a tree for a motorist's demise. -
@evan Yes.
Most are already unhealthy for adults, and minors have even fewer psychological tools than adults to protect themselves from the harm they cause.
So, they're even more unhealthy for minors.