"The computer scientist Jaron Lanier reckons that social media, by its nature, makes you into an arsehole. It encourages arseholey behaviour by rewarding it with more notifications, engagements, and all the rest of it. His new book, discussed at a recent Idler evening with the Guardian's John Harris, is called Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Now."
Ben and I were discussing earlier how there is going to eventually be a backlash against technology itself, but long before that happens, there will be a huge, pervasive backlash against social media. I believe we're seeing the seeds of that already. I get the sense that people are just flat out disgusted with what they're seeing online via Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms: the lies, the unabashed hate, the wanton, willful ignorance.
I haven't been on Facebook in half a decade. I've uninstalled Twitter from all my devices, meaning I have to go through the website if I ever want to step into that cesspool, and that's more trouble than it's worth. I'm almost ready to give up on Instagram as well, but I'm not quite there yet (too many hot menz and other interesting images).