Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore

Chris Remington@beehaw.org to Technology@beehaw.org – 212 points –
Why the Internet Isn’t Fun Anymore
newyorker.com
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The algorithms killed the platforms. They've become vapid, empty holes that only attract people addicted to them like junkies.

The internet can be fun, but you're not going to find it on the platforms. You're only going to find fun in places where people talk to each other. And even then, if you're thin skinned you're going to wind up in an outrage filled circlejerk. If you loosen up and go where the algorithms don't exist you can have a good time.

The algorithms made me bored of these platforms. I used to scroll twitter for 10 minutes then close the app because I would come across content filled with negativity. Then on youtube it seems like the videos suggested are those I am not interested in. Now that I have switched to newpipe, I find that I have so many more videos to watch. Recently I have started using Mastodon and I am liking it so far since I can tune my feed according to what I like to see using hashtags, following people and blocking/muting people. At least I haven't got bored yet. These secret algorithms don't seem to work for me. I wonder how people get addicted.?

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