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diff --git a/memos/WM-023.txt b/memos/WM-023.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01490ea --- /dev/null +++ b/memos/WM-023.txt @@ -0,0 +1,120 @@ + + + + + + + +Document: WM-023 P. Webb +Category: Project 2017.12.30 + + Who the hell creates a social network? + +Abstract + + A crazy person, that's who. + +Body + + Or, "Social networks are terrible, so I'm creating one". But…why? + *Excellent* question, buckle up gang! + + Social networks in 2017 are just *bad*. There's no shortage of + articles written about how depressing, manipulative, greedy, and + morally bankrupt they are but, to what end? The same people writing + about these horrid networks continue to use them because *despite* + all the horrible things done (or ignored) by the creators to their + users, these networks have *utility*. At their very core, social + networks bring people together and double as support groups for + like-minded thinkers (for better or worse). There's (seemingly) no + incentive for the networks to make things better on behalf of their + users. Where else are they (the masses) gonna go? Mastodon? + Micro.blog? Sublevel? Scuttlebutt? HAH! + + "Big Social" knows *damn well* that the average user (read: at least + 70% of them) isn't going to: + + 1. Create a DigitalOcean, or other VPS (virtual private server) + provider account + 2. Pay *money* for a server (even though the cheapest is $5) + 3. Read a tutorial on GitHub for instructions on how to set up their + own Mastodon instance + 4. Invite their friends and family + 5. Maintain the server and *continue* paying $5/month for it + + You wanna know what my friends did after I told them I was deleting + my Facebook account at the top of this year? Some responded with a + disaffected, "oh". Some were appalled at the privacy violations they + unknowingly subjected themselves to daily yet continued scrolling + their feed. Others just didn't care. Now we get to the reason social + networks are just *bad* and will continue to be: The masses simply do + not give a rat's ass, flying fuck, and/or shit. Womp womp. + + To my wife's credit, she mainly uses Facebook for the mom/support + groups she's found. All those moms aren't going to a transition to a + Discord server or subreddit because the *experience* will be too + jarring and that'll make the transition unlikely to stick. + + To be quite honest, *I am not much better*. I mean sure, I quit + Google because of their ever-increasing invasiveness to my privacy + and selling my user data to advertisers. I now self-host my email + (shout out to Mail-in-a-Box[1]). But…I created a new Google account + so I could still use YouTube (thinking about deleting it again and + manually keeping track of favorite channels but MEHHHHH). + + I complain about Twitter *on* Twitter and guess what? I tweet like a + *mofo*. I retweet even more! I favorite! I am *disgusted* by the fact + that they utilize Drumpf in their advertisements overseas while + pretending that they cannot hold the current U.S. president to the + same standards as everyone else. I am disgusted by the way they + *enable* Nazi propaganda while simultaneously blocking such content + in Germany and France. I am disgusted by the way they effectively + *shit* on their users being attacked and for some strange reason, + *side with the oppressors/attackers*. And yet…it's the best damn + version of social media I've been on to date and that does *not* make + me happy. At some point though, you've got to stop complaining and + *take action*. + + 📸[Socii logo and logotype][IMG1] + + Introducing *Socii* ("Oh great, another social network," you think), + my answer to the bullshit perpetuated by Big Social and the absence + of an easily accessible alternative (pronounced \\'sō-'kē\\). + + Like Big Social, you'll be able to: + + - add a profile picture + - have an accent color + - post updates + + *Un*like Big Social, you'll be able to: + + - play with a crap ton more customization options (top secret + for now) + - use tools to customize and protect your online experience + - read your timeline untouched by algorithms + + "This sounds good," you say, "but how will you make money? I'm not + paying for a social network!" + + Well damn, you're stingy but okay *I get it*. There will be a + merchandise shop, account upgrades like the ability to secure a + three/four character username, and something else related to the top + secret customization options mentioned above. Furthermore, there will + be a way for users to make a bit of cash themselves. It is my hope + that this will be enough to keep Socii going once the free tier + limits on some services I'm using to operate it start costing money. + + To temper expectations (if only for myself), I do not expect Socii to + become "the one true network" but I would be *delighted* if people + found it to be a welcome reprieve and community of good vibes. A + private alpha will occur in early 2018 with a beta slated for + (hopefully) late summer. I'll bring people in on a rolling basis at + that point. If you'd like to be notified once early registration + opens up, feel free to sign up at socii.network[2]! 🕸 + +References + + [1] <https://mailinabox.email> + [2] <https://socii.network/welcome> + [IMG1] <https://🔥.pixels.wtf/blog/image/2017/who-creates-social-networks-a.jpg> |