At least when it comes to Meta, I have nothing to delete. In 2021 I deleted my WhatsApp and in 2022 deleted my Facebook account that wasn't used for over a year anyways.
Yeah, I saw a CNBC news segment that delivered literally this with a straight face, but with the addendum of "age verification may affect user retention temporarily."
Soon we're going to learn that it's all about de-anonymizing political speech.
They don't want us to be able to show what's happening on the ground in Gaza to the world. Or what's happening at ICE raids. Or what's happening at protests when the riot squads show up...
...Or what's happening on deployed navy ships, or in classrooms, or in political meetings.
It blows my mind that people still use meta's services. After everything we know - years and years of leaks, admissions, investigations. Honestly, what will it take??
Most people don't see how these things directly affect them because the effects are mostly indirect and the media doesn't explain why they should care, and many have their social lives tied to using platforms where the other people they know are, so can't switch to a less evil alternative without becoming a recluse unless a critical mass of their friends are already using it.
It doesn't help either that in developing countries, Facebook is free to use even without mobile internet data. Little do users from these countries realise is that they are the product.
They all wanted it, but they knew it would be unpopular, so they needed a law to force everyone to do it. Meta stepped up. They get the data, the politicians get the blame--and a payout. The pols continue to spin it as protecting the children but no one is buying it. No one expects it to have any positive effect on children's use of social media, but that was never the point in the first place.
When I asked around, I was surprised how many people have messengers other than WA installed.
In a similar vein, I found Fediverse users in the most unexpected places IRL.
25 Comments
cRazi_man@europe.pub · 92 pts · 1d
The best time to delete social media apps was 10 years ago. The second best time is now.
QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz · 16 pts · 1d
At least when it comes to Meta, I have nothing to delete. In 2021 I deleted my WhatsApp and in 2022 deleted my Facebook account that wasn't used for over a year anyways.
lemmyng@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 1d
The best time to switch to the Fediverse was 10 years ago. The second best time is now.
Seriously, I've made the following replacements:
solxix@pawb.social · 5 pts · 1d
FYI Fluxer isn't federated. What you're looking for is Matrix/XMPP.
Dequei@piefed.social · 2 pts · 12h
Yeah, I am using Matrix with the Sable client and it is really good
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1d
which one is ICQ
silasmariner@programming.dev · 4 pts · 23h
Signal I guess? Sorta? But absolutely not really?
Iammetheone@thelemmy.club · 1 pts · 18h
I opt for blue sky which is not bad
frunch@lemmy.world · 43 pts · 1d
Well that's not the way i expected to find out the outcome of that trial đź«
chaogomu@lemmy.world · 27 pts · 1d
Yeah, it's worse.
https://www.techdirt.com/2026/08/26/meta-just-paid-nearly-17-billion-to-make-sure-it-gets-to-write-the-kid-safety-rules-for-every-other-social-media-platform/
brucethemoose@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 1d
Yeah, I saw a CNBC news segment that delivered literally this with a straight face, but with the addendum of "age verification may affect user retention temporarily."
It was utterly wild.
uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 16 pts · 18h
Soon we're going to learn that it's all about de-anonymizing political speech.
They don't want us to be able to show what's happening on the ground in Gaza to the world. Or what's happening at ICE raids. Or what's happening at protests when the riot squads show up...
...Or what's happening on deployed navy ships, or in classrooms, or in political meetings.
jobbies@lemmy.zip · 11 pts · 13h
It blows my mind that people still use meta's services. After everything we know - years and years of leaks, admissions, investigations. Honestly, what will it take??
AnyOldName3@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 11h
Most people don't see how these things directly affect them because the effects are mostly indirect and the media doesn't explain why they should care, and many have their social lives tied to using platforms where the other people they know are, so can't switch to a less evil alternative without becoming a recluse unless a critical mass of their friends are already using it.
TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 11h
It doesn't help either that in developing countries, Facebook is free to use even without mobile internet data. Little do users from these countries realise is that they are the product.
NikkiDimes@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 4h
Me on Discord. I'm so ready to move. My friend's aren't...
architect@thelemmy.club · 1 pts · 11h
Way more shame.
hansolo@lemmy.today · 10 pts · 1d
Anyone who doesn't get how this is exactly what happened is fooling themselves.
MagnificentSteiner@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 16h
It's not exactly what happened though. Meta aren't being forced to do age verification. They were the primary lobbyists for it in the first place.
DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 11h
They all wanted it, but they knew it would be unpopular, so they needed a law to force everyone to do it. Meta stepped up. They get the data, the politicians get the blame--and a payout. The pols continue to spin it as protecting the children but no one is buying it. No one expects it to have any positive effect on children's use of social media, but that was never the point in the first place.
lyrial@anarchist.nexus · 8 pts · 21h
It's also 17 billion over 10 years iirc. That is absolutely nothing for Meta.
uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 18h
It's really a good time to divest from Facebook, or Snapchat, or WhatsApp.
They're going to try to set this as a standard, and it really needs to not become one.
TankovayaDiviziya@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 11h
The problem is that a lot of people don't care. They are getting the dopamine hit.
PartyAt15thAndSummit@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 1h
When I asked around, I was surprised how many people have messengers other than WA installed.
In a similar vein, I found Fediverse users in the most unexpected places IRL.
Telodzrum@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1d
Weird to put the “Like” icon on there instead of WhatsApp.