The end of the old social network era.

[Brother_Bliss]

This is why there will always be a place for discussion forums. Facebook did destroy a lot of communities, but many forums, including ours, weathered the social media storm and continued to flourish. 

 

Forums = Community. Group effort, topic orented, conversation driven.

 

Social Media (before) = Me, me, me me me.

 

Social Media (now) = Me me me but in video form.

 

 

---

 

 

Facebook's big changes could mean the end of the old social network era: Here's how we're all in a TikTok world now

 

Facebook wants to better compete with TikTok — and the changes it's making to do that likely mark the end of the social network as we know it.

 

No longer will Facebook be primarily a place to connect with friends and acquaintances. Now, it'll have an addicting scroll similar to TikTok — with an algorithm feeding you videos, pictures and other posts that it thinks you'll like. That means you're more likely to see random pet videos or get recipes from cooking influencers over posts from that one embarrassing aunt.

 

Meta announced the big changes to Facebook and Instagram last week: "Home" will now be the main tab when you open Facebook. A company announcement called the new main screen a "discovery engine" to find "fresh, entertaining content."

 

In addition, any public video shorter than 15 minutes you share to Instagram will now automatically be a reel, and "may be eligible to be recommended and seen by more people."

 

In other words, if you aren't getting your fill of endlessly scrolling through viral videos from strangers on TikTok, Facebook has you covered. If you want to more directly see what your friends or follows are up to, you'll have to go to another tab called "Feeds," which won't be the default home screen.

 

{snip}

 

The end of the social network doesn't mean the end of social media. But it does mean the end of social-media platforms acting as places to make "meaningful" connections with others.

 

ARTICLE:

https://www.businessinsider.com/facebooks-tiktok-inspired-changes-mean-end-of-social-network-2022-7

[Qapla]

Guess I'll miss another shift in "social media" since I never have used Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Potluck, DumbPosts or any of the other sites like that.

 

I can watch the crazy videos on YouTube if I want - but they are not pushed on me as much as this article describes those on FB will be.

 

 

[Doak]

Am I the only one who thinks the world has drastically worsened since social media became popular? I feel that Satan has managed to spread his message of hate and immorality even more, but in a subtle and sometimes (seemingly) harmless way.

 

On social media, any illiterate has an opinion (nothing against those who can't read or write, I hope you understand the idea). All it takes is a puppet of Satan (usually super influential, with a lot of followers and a verified account) to say something and that something becomes the absolute truth.

 

And when Facebook expanded the reaction forms from just a "like" to reactions like joy, sadness, surprise, anger, etc? Did you notice the hate speeches and messages spreading further? However, when this functionality was released, it seemed like a harmless and innovative tool.

 

For me, social media ended, with the exception of WhatsApp, which is used by millions of brothers and has been useful during the pandemic. But I know that as long as Satan rules this world social media will continue to influence humanity.

 

The most I know of privileged brothers who have social media other than WhatsApp (like Facebook or even Instagram) are elders. Of all the circuit overseers I've ever had, none had social media other than WhatsApp. The GB brothers are an example of this, at most I believe they only have WhatsApp.

[zoebarry]

11 minutes ago, Doak said:

Am I the only one who thinks the world has drastically worsened since social media became popular? I feel that Satan has managed to spread his message of hate and immorality even more, but in a subtle and sometimes (seemingly) harmless way.

 

On social media, any illiterate has an opinion (nothing against those who can't read or write, I hope you understand the idea). All it takes is a puppet of Satan (usually super influential, with a lot of followers and a verified account) to say something and that something becomes the absolute truth.

 

And when Facebook expanded the reaction forms from just a "like" to reactions like joy, sadness, surprise, anger, etc? Did you notice the hate speeches and messages spreading further? However, when this functionality was released, it seemed like a harmless and innovative tool.

 

For me, social media ended, with the exception of WhatsApp, which is used by millions of brothers and has been useful during the pandemic. But I know that as long as Satan rules this world social media will continue to influence humanity.

 

The most I know of privileged brothers who have social media other than WhatsApp (like Facebook or even Instagram) are elders. Of all the circuit overseers I've ever had, none had social media other than WhatsApp. The GB brothers are an example of this, at most I believe they only have WhatsApp.

Whoa, I agree with you my brother 100%!

 

I feel that social media is the worst thing to come out of the technological advances in recent years....

 

Social media is spiritual warfare......

[dove]

My daughter was a follower of FB for years until she had her identity stolen. It is not a Safe place besides everything else that's wrong with it.

[Qapla]

3 hours ago, zoebarry said:

Social media is spiritual warfare......

 

We need to remember that WhatsApp (quoted from above "The GB brothers are an example of this, at most I believe they only have WhatsApp") and this forum (JWTalk) ARE social media.

 

We need to remember, when we 

paint with a wide brush - we may cover more than we intended

 

 

[Brother_Bliss]

4 hours ago, Qapla said:

We need to remember that WhatsApp (quoted from above "The GB brothers are an example of this, at most I believe they only have WhatsApp") and this forum (JWTalk) ARE social media.

 

We need to remember, when we paint with a wide brush - we may cover more than we intended

To @zoebarry's credit, I did make a distinction between forums and social networks in my opening post. Although they are certainly very similar.

 

Definition of forum

1a: the marketplace or public place of an ancient Roman city forming the center of judicial and public business

b: a public meeting place for open discussion

c : a medium (such as a newspaper or online service) of open discussion or expression of ideas

 

Definition of social network

1: a network of individuals (such as friends, acquaintances, and coworkers) connected by interpersonal relationships

2: an online service or site through which people create and maintain interpersonal relationships

 

JWTalk is a community, originally built upon and centered around a forum.

 

Facebook and Twitter are social networks.

 

WhatsApp, Telegram, etc are instant messenger applications.

[Amygdala]

5 hours ago, Brother_Bliss said:

2: an online service or site through which people create and maintain interpersonal relationships

For me I hardly use Facebook but it has certainly been instrumental in keeping in touch with the lives of my relatives, old coworkers or schoolmates, or friends from abroad who choose to post about their lives online vs. in direct social contact on a personal level. It’s sad actually when you think about it, but OTOH I find it helpful to know what’s going on in their lives or even posts about what is on their mind to gauge my conversations with them when opportunities arise. Some of my relatives I haven’t spoken to in years, especially younger ones, but I‘ve seen them grow up, graduate, sporting or secular achievements, get married, gain or lose pets, have children or traveled places, lifestyle changes, or experienced loss all from FB posts. I use it when needed to keep in touch or even to try to witness, which otherwise I would have no other way to do with them since I don’t have telephone numbers or emails addresses. But it does tell a good picture about a person. No wonder it’s such an advertisers dream with spying and marketing.

[halfspanishlee]

I use Instagram and I allways get fake witnesses trying to add me and they are allways women but I allways see thou the lies

[carlos]

7 hours ago, Woanders said:

For me I hardly use Facebook but it has certainly been instrumental in keeping in touch with the lives of my relatives, old coworkers or schoolmates, or friends from abroad who choose to post about their lives online vs. in direct social contact on a personal level.

I did create an account during the pandemic in order to get in touch with people I used to visit or study with and had lost contact with. I don't really use it because I don't post anything there, other than one picture with my wife so that people can recognize me. But it has allowed me to contact with a handful of formerly interested people and some of them have responded well.

 

As everything else in Satan's world, social media can be used for good or for evil. Certainly it's being used for evil a lot.

[blue-jay]

It depends on how you use it. A lot of self discipline is needed.

Most our elders are on instagram.

Both our recent circuit overseers and their wives have an Instagram account. They follow me and some others in the congregation/circuits, and I follow them. 

 

It's not wrong. It's a personal decision. You just have to be careful. If you find that you can't control it, then you'll have to cut off your hand and tear out your eye...

[Hope]

I've been on Facebook since 2012. It has good and bad bits, like everything.. but I like it a lot. It's informative and helps me keep up with friends and associates. It also allows me to share news or have incredible conversations with one post... that develops into the discussion. It's a large part of my association. I love it, tbh.

 

I only view IG, even though it's the most popular with local friends & elders. I find the communication too one way. Difficult to have discussions.

 

WhatsApp is very useful for easy contact and for when groups are too large or spread out for texts. I prefer it over texts, but some friends don't want apps on their phones (?)

 

I've been on Witness discussion boards since 2003. There's a place for all of it if you don't allow them to become your master..

 

 

[Pabo]

I haven't used any social media accounts for personal uses, as it is fraught with many dangers.

 

However, I had use a Facebook account to track down people. Our firm was offering debt collecting services and I had used it to track down debtors if they had changed address and the sort. One of the colleagues who was doing this mostly found it very interesting on what information that I was able to gather from FB, even if I wasn't their "friend".

 

Some years after our firm had finished offering these services, she sent me this meme as when she saw the movie "Taken" and she instantly thought of me.

 

[SoCal4me2]

For a long time I have thought. “who would have imagined that cell phones and such tech would have a large part of the feet of Clay & Iron. Before this tech revolution many people with niche ideas or perspectives would have a fairly difficult task finding others with the same mindset. The internet & cell phones have changed all that, allowing the worst people to find their ‘soulmate’ in its worst connotation. Many of us thought that a Flashmob dancing in the mall was kinda cool. But that has gone away with the Flashmob kind of crimes.