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Social media as we know it is not what many people think or hope it to be. Good news: there is a better way!
The usual suspects (Facebook, Instagram) do a good job of letting you share your thoughts, pictures, and videos with anyone you specify. Unfortunately they also do a truly excellent job of selling your data, destroying your online privacy, and using algorithms and psychological tricks to influence what you see and buy.
Both the companies involved and those who use their products potentially have much to gain, but the latter (us) arguably have more to lose.
There’s a lot to like about Instagram, but I’ve started viewing it as the ‘What will they try to convince me to buy today’ platform. It’s scary how good their algorithm is at finding things to tempt me with! I’m interstate at the moment with a great foldable bag and toilet paper gel (turns toilet paper into wet wipes) that I heard about on Insta.
But I’m drawing the line when it comes to sharing my thoughts and creations.
