Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

xocetaceans

(4,169 posts)
2. Jaron Lanier's relevant book from 2018 is also worth reading....
Fri Apr 4, 2025, 01:41 PM
Apr 4
Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now
Jaron Lanier

Picador

In Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Lanier, who participates in no social media, offers powerful and personal reasons for all of us to leave these dangerous online platforms.

Lanier’s reasons for freeing ourselves from social media’s poisonous grip include its tendency to bring out the worst in us, to make politics terrifying, to trick us with illusions of popularity and success, to twist our relationship with the truth, to disconnect us from other people even as we are more “connected” than ever, to rob us of our free will with relentless targeted ads. How can we remain autonomous in a world where we are under continual surveillance and are constantly being prodded by algorithms run by some of the richest corporations in history that have no way of making money other than being paid to manipulate our behavior? How could the benefits of social media possibly outweigh the catastrophic losses to our personal dignity, happiness, and freedom? Lanier remains a tech optimist, so while demonstrating the evil that rules social media business models today, he also envisions a humanistic setting for social networking that can direct us toward a richer and fuller way of living and connecting with our world.


https://academic.macmillan.com/academictrade/9781250239082/tenargumentsfordeletingyoursocialmediaaccountsrightnow/

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Cable News Clips»"Can't Look Away": New Do...»Reply #2