Brave New Internet

Via Santi Villamarín

I started this post because I read a couple articles that lament the future of the web. They argue that it’s becoming the new TV, that our culture of consumption has transformed diverse and interconnected web into one that is more uniform and intraconnected.

As I wrote, I found myself venting about the current state of the web. I pick on Facebook and BuzzFeed and explained how they are affecting the rest of the web. But as I compared past arguments about television and present arguments about the web, I conclude that the comparisons don’t hold up, and that we should be cautiously optimistic for the future.

Also, my new favorite word is “listicle.”

Get Out of My Face

An old classmate from high school posts racist commentary current events. Blocked. A former coworker spams pictures of her children participating in mundane activities. Unfollowed. A former groupmate from college posts a BuzzFeed article. Unfriended.

Why am I logged into Facebook? Oh right, I wanted to clear that notification off my phone—a notification which turned out to be a game invite. People still send those?

For some reason, I still keep a Facebook profile. The benefits of staying in touch with a few friends and family outweigh the cost of, well, everything else—but just barely. My relationship status with the site has been complicated for a while. A few years ago, I wrote about my unhappy dependence on Facebook and its effect on my identity. Since then, I’ve moved the majority of my online activity to Twitter and Reddit.¹

Despite my feelings toward Facebook, the Zuckernaut has only gotten stronger. Over 71% of adult internet users are on Facebook, or 58% of the entire adult population. The site is now worth $245 billion, which is worth more than Walmart. Every month, the collective user base spends 640 billion minutes on Facebook.

For many people, Facebook is the internet. And that’s exactly what the Zuckheads want.

Facebook’s ultimate goal is to create an experience in which users never have to leave—and why should they? Since the introduction of the apps, the news feed, and the trending topics sidebar, users have their games, their friends, and their news conveniently wrapped into a single page. Oh, and it’s free.²

Facebook as a one stop source carries implications that affect more than how users consume; it also affects what users consume. Facebook’s algorithm calculates what kinds of content the user wants to see and delivers it to the top of the news feed. In theory, content creators can tailor their content to become more visible on users’ feeds. We no longer need to seek information. Information seeks us.

...do you hear a buzzing sound?

Feed Me

BuzzFeed is among the most shared content on Facebook, but you already knew that. The sole existence of this “social news and entertainment” company is based around spreading their buzzy gospel across social media.

And they spread. And they spread. And they spread. And they spread. And they spread.

I recently visited their website and was awestruck at the volume of content they post hourly. Clickbait headlines, listicles, personality quizzes, and some current events sprinkled about. While these forms of content aren’t inherently bad (except for clickbait), it is staggering how much of this content is shared every day.

Has BuzzFeed, along with others like them, have found the key to being successful on this medium? Based on their 850 million dollar worth, the answer is: yes. If might is right, then BuzzFeed is very, very right.

However, the popularity of BuzzFeed isn’t a direct result of the website’s influence on internet culture. They are also a reflection of internet culture. Over the past decade, the internet had undergone a major cultural shift from diverse interconnectivity to uniform intraconnectivity.

In November of 2014, blogger Hossein Derakhshan was released from an Iranian prison. After six years behind bars, Derakshan was shocked at how different the digital landscape had become. In his article “The Web We Have to Save,” he discusses how social media changed the way we use the web. He writes, “[The internet] is rapidly resembling TV: linear, passive, programmed and inward-looking.” This is apparent when we see BuzzFeed and NY Times publishing their articles straight to Facebook, possibly ranking themselves more favorably with Facebook’s algorithm and giving users one less chance to leave.

John Herrman of The Awl asserts a similar idea in “The Next Internet is TV.” He argues that social media centralizes the web in a way that allows media companies market to an already established audience. The people are already there; they just need to be advertised to. For BuzzFeed, that means more writers, more content, more shares on Facebook, and more ad money.

With BuzzFeed’s native advertising strategy, even the line between content and advertisement is blurred. They aren’t in the internet journalism business; they’re in the advertising empire business. And we crave it.

Amusing Ourselves

Our endless streams of content hark back to Aldous Huxley’s soma. We scroll through our feeds not because it makes us happy, but to keep ourselves from ennui. We lose our minds when it’s taken away.

Are we witnessing signs of a digital dystopia? Are algorithms, media companies, and our desire to occupy our minds leading us to a cultural brain drain? Are we allowing others to think for us?

Neil Postman wrote on a similar topic in Amusing Ourselves to Death back in 1985. In his book, he likens television entertainment to soma that evokes our feelings rather than our thoughts. He argues that the oversaturation of information we experience through media renders us indolent; there are too many topics and not enough time to think, much less act. From local news to national politics, the media is in a position to shape our perceptions of the world.

Postman’s arguments are enticing, but was he right?

30 years after his book’s publication, we can hardly call our world a dystopia. We’re living in the best time to collaborate, share, organize, and act in ways which would have taken weeks or even months to organize in the past. We’re reading and writing more than ever with our digital technology. Postman’s arguments are still valuable, especially in the context of the modern internet. We should criticize our technology and the way we use it. The tools that can cause us to languish are the same tools that can empower us.

While I complain about the state of social media and its content, I have to remind myself to be thankful that I have a voice. I have the opportunity to complain without fear of imprisonment. For this, I am optimistic about the future of the web.

Facebook sucks. BuzzFeed sucks. For all I know, my blog sucks. But that’s what makes this whole thing great. Things don’t have to be perfect for us to enjoy them. For many of us, the internet is a form of escapism. A silly listicle can brighten up an otherwise dull day. A quiz result can amuse you. What is the harm in that? Some websites monetize our habits, our impulses, and our need for entertainment. We’re paying for it one way or another.

By nature, the internet can’t become the new TV. Scroll down—the comment section of every piece of content empowers us in a way that television can never replicate. Sometimes there are trolls and flame wars. Sometimes we strongly disagree with the top-rated comment. But we always have a voice.

No matter how uniform and marketable the internet may get, our voice is the main difference between the web and television.

We will have a problem if that ever changes.

1. With Reddit’s recent fiasco, I’m not sure if will I stay with this community.^↩
2. As long as you’re cool with Facebook selling your personal information. I’m sure you’ve heard this before.^↩

Google + Social Media = ???

As you may have noticed, my summer of blogging was a failure. Instead of crying about it, I'm just going to jump right back in.

The sky is cloudy, leaves are on the ground, and school is back in session.

Yup, it's fall.¹

Although I can't wait to go jump on deliciously crunchy leaves, I want to talk about the past summer. While many of us were busy working, taking classes, or waking up at the crack of noon, the land of teh interwebz welcomed a new face to the social media scene.

Meet the Facebook filleter, the Twitter terminator: Google+.

This new tool combines features of both social media giants to create a Facebook-style environment where a user can follow or be followed; you don't need to share a mutual friendship to be connected. In addition, friends can be categorized into different circles. From there, users can choose which circles can see their posts.

Never again will you have to censor yourself to a tone that you speak to your grandparents in!
You're probably thinking, "If Google+ is so great, why are Facebook and Twitter still around?" Excellent question. The above news occurred over the summer—let me tell you the rest of the story.
Google+ carried the prospect of becoming the ultimate social media website back in July. Since then, its number of weekly visitors have dropped and the average amount of time spent on the site has stagnated. Many of its users are asking, "Why do I need this website? I've already got Facebook."

Admittedly, I have asked myself the same thing.

As I had previously discussed, I'm not a fan of Facebook. However, I already established it as my online medium of social networking. I have friends, family, photos, etc. that I can't just pack up and haul over to another site, no matter how nice and shiny it is.

I would really love to though.

It's also important to note that Google+ is still in beta and operates on an "invite only" system. It's like being invited to a exclusive club that happens to be too exclusive. I've got 300+ friends on Facebook compared to 20 on Google+. Which audience do you think I would rather write for?

Unless something drastic happens to Facebook or Google+ offers something truly groundbreaking, change doesn't look imminent for the social media world. It could happen as soon as November 5th as members of Anonymous have threatened to take down Facebook, or it could be drawn out like the migration from Myspace to Facebook.

As with the changing of the seasons, we'll just have to wait for what will happen.

I'm rooting for Google+.

^{1. [Disclaimer: fall officially starts on September 23.]↩}

The Power of Social Media: example #459230

Earlier this week was Ash Wednesday. I’ve never been a very religious person, so I’ve never paid much attention to it. However, my interest about this particular day piqued when I was saw a report on the local news about Christians giving up Facebook for Lent.

Does this mean they’re switching to Twitter?

I understand that Lent is a time for spiritual rejuvenation and breaking bad habits to get closer to God. I just don’t think that Facebook or any other form of social media is a vice that should simply given up like chocolate or alcohol. I’ve already talked about how much I dislike Facebook, but I also gave reasons as to why I still use it. As I have said, it is a part of our lives.

I’m not trying to criticize anybody who is doing this. My issue is that Facebook is being singled out as the monster that eats up the time of its unsuspecting victims. We know that there is much that has been said about the evils of social media. But at the same time, there is a lot to be said about its benefits.

Think about what is happening in Japan.

An 8.9 magnitude earthquake struck Japan and triggered tsunamis and landslides. It was the largest earthquake in 140 years for the country, and the 7th largest in recorded history. Damage to nuclear power plants threaten a meltdown that could produce fallout that could do more damage than I even want to think about.

It is a nightmare.

Social media is playing a part in reporting on the disaster as it happens. Footage of the earthquake was uploaded immediately onto YouTube. Real-time commentary and #prayforjapan are coming from Twitter. Facebook and other networks are helping many find out that their friends and family are safe.

This is the power of social media. What is a procrastination tool to one person is a lifeline to another. Businesses use it to promote themselves while others denounce them with it. To give it up based on a personal negative impact is letting go of what it can do for you—even if it’s for 40 days. Instead of blaming social media for your procrastination, learn how to manage your time on the web.

For now, please keep Japan in your prayers. You can click here if you want information on giving them donations.

Saving Face

I had watched The Social Network recently. I personally did not enjoy the movie for my usual reasons (lack of hand to hand combat, no one died, no zombies, etc.) but there were certainly some good things in it. I thought it did a great job depicting how Facebook was built on sin, lies, and deception. Even better, it demonstrated how quickly a seemingly small innovation could revolutionize our daily lives.

It’s okay. It scares me too.

I don’t think there’s any denying that many of us use Facebook on a regular basis. In fact, I have it open on another tab as I’m writing this. You may be doing the same thing. I’m not saying that we need a support group for this. Well, maybe we do; I’m just not saying it.

This lone website has found its way into my everyday routine. It is the first and last website that I check out. I mindlessly scroll down my news feed just to get a sense of what is going on in my circle of “friends.” I’m always thinking of the best possible statuses that would yield the most feedback. Even when I take a break from it, I peruse sites like Lamebook that exploit the hilarious blunders that people make on Facebook. I even watched that aforementioned movie about it.

But after some thought, I have discovered something about myself:

I don’t like Facebook.

I get annoyed at constant invitations for apps that I don’t care about. I hate reading the garbage that pops up on my news feed (I do it anyway). I don’t like the fact that the creator of the website ripped off the idea from his classmates. I can’t stand that Facebook bullies smaller websites around if they happen to sound a little like the word “Facebook.” I dislike that they bought the Drop.io website and then killed it. I contemplate deleting my Facebook account nearly on a regular basis.

Yet I still use it.

via Science in our World

I developed a need for this unique sense of cohesion to my friends. I have too many connections to important people on my profile, personally and professionally. Although I am a man, I admit that I hold a high sentimental value to my profile. I don’t want to simply delete all of the memories that I’ve documented. I just can’t throw any of these things away.

Remember how I said that it would revolutionize our lives? It has done so by becoming a part of our identities. The first time that you have ever said, “Facebook me,” you subconsciously identified the website as a part of your person. Your profile is a cyber “you.” Because of this, a thought in the back of my mind that tells me that if I deleted my profile then people will forget about me.

In the end, it’s not hard to realize just how much this website has changed social beliefs. Just think about how it affects you every single day. I may not agree with the business practices of the website, but then again, it doesn’t matter. I still use it just the same.

Despite my cathartic ramblings, it is obvious that the more I talk about how much I dislike it, the more of a hypocrite I will have become. At this point, I think it will be smarter for me to save face and shut up.