Networks

If I look at Binstagram and Threads, and other Facebook owned sites I notice that conversations are completely dead. I was also looking at Twitter (now X) and I was also struck by how few conversations are taking place. I barely see any conversations. I see people posting, but I see little sign of interaction.

As I look at Facebook, and Twitter, and the lack of conversation I come to the conclusion that we can now delete our accounts on both and lose nothing. Years ago, we would have been isolated, but not today.

Recently I have been thinking more about trolling. I have been thinking about why, I, and others, appear so negative or toxic on social media. I believe that one reason for this is that algorithms drive conversations and popularity, rather than time devoted to social media, and conversationalism.

Return on Investment Then and Now

By this I mean that if I spent 20 hours on social media in 2006 or 2007 I would have spent 20 hours watching conversations between friends, and friends of friends. Today if I spend twenty hours on social media I may see three or four posts by friends, and hundreds from groups, and that are chosen by algorithms. The result is that the social circle that I built in 2006-2007 was a tight knit community of friends.