Social Media and Privacy

In 2020, Netflix released a documentary called “The Social Dilemma” that addressed concerns about the widespread adoption of social media and its potential negative consequences. This skepticism toward social media had been growing, especially following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. This scandal revealed that Facebook data had been misused by Cambridge Analytica to manipulate various elections. Despite the rapid normalization of social media worldwide, its effects are only beginning to be fully realized.

Positive Feelings about Social Media

It might surprise you to know that I don’t despise all forms of social media. For instance, WhatsApp has undeniably improved the lives of many. In my earlier years, connecting with family abroad was a costly and challenging endeavor. Today, it’s as simple as communicating with someone nearby. Similarly, platforms like Reddit and YouTube serve as valuable sources of information and news for a wider audience.

Various social media platforms connect people based on shared interests, such as fandoms and social groups. These platforms have also facilitated the formation and maintenance of friendships, across continents.

Negative Feelings about Social Media

We must also acknowledge the shortcomings and failures of social media. Some of these failures stem from how people use social media, while others originate from design flaws.

Billion dollar social media companies like Meta and Alphabet are incentivized to keep people on their platforms by feeding a curated source of information. This encouragement of addiction, combined with the constant need to provide superficial updates, creates a false sense of communication.

Moreover, the pressure to conform to social norms leads to a feeling of social pressure to use social media. This pressure can even result in the erosion of authentic communication, substituting it with shallow interactions.

Privacy, a crucial aspect of personal well-being, is also significantly compromised in the realm of social media. The collection and exploitation of personal data have raised serious concerns about user privacy and the potential misuse of information.

Personal Experience with Social Media

My personal journey with social media has been relatively limited. During my late primary school years, using platforms like MSN Messenger was the norm among friends during summer holidays. Although it was a precursor to modern messaging apps, the process felt clunky compared to today’s smartphone-driven experience.

Over the years, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram dominated the social media landscape. Even before smartphones were widespread, these platforms began shaping our lives. At the age of 14, I was already sharing photos, updating statuses, and building connections on Facebook. Twitter’s limited character count encouraged divisive content, amplifying negative aspects of communication.

By the time I turned 18, I realized I wasn’t comfortable with the extent of my social media presence. Yet, avoiding social media was becoming synonymous with disengaging from society. Facebook and similar platforms had become central to social interactions, and “ghosting” emerged as a term for those who were unreachable on social media.

Today, while I maintain some accounts, I avoid active participation on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I use WhatsApp to communicate globally, and I consume media on YouTube and Reddit without actively contributing. Platforms like Threads and TikTok remain unexplored by me.

Hierarchy of Social Media Usage

In my view, there’s a hierarchy of concern for groupings of social media usage.

The lowest level includes messaging services like WhatsApp, Skype, Signal, and Discord. These are of lowest concern to me, as they enable further communication, while not trying to completely replace all social interaction.

Next come media providers like YouTube, Twitch, and Reddit. Most people can find healthy ways to engage with this, by timeboxing their usage, and limiting the engagement in commentary. The rise of echo chambers within these communities is also a concern, which to today appears difficult to address.

Finally, at the highest level, we have social network services like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. It’s these social network services that raise the most concerns. For these platforms, additional steps must be taken to ensure limited publication of personal information, and restricted use of accounts.

I’ve shared these thoughts because, much like hosting my website on GitHub, I encounter similar privacy concerns to social network platforms. I don’t possess all the answers to these issues, but I believe it’s valuable to reflect on them openly. My perspective might evolve over time. For now, having this content on my terms gives me a sense of control while maintaining a certain level of privacy.