Believe it or not, a whole Internet “world” exists beyond Zuckerberg’s and Musk’s walled gardens. In fact, social media is only a part of the Internet. Extensive exploration will reveal uncounted personal blogs, many of which are informative, thought-provoking, and in many ways superior places to spend one’s online time than the social media walled gardens. I am sure you know about other sources of entertainment like Netflix, YouTube, and the many YouTube alternatives. Were you aware that hundreds of free documentary films exist on websites like Top Documentary Films, Documentary Heaven, and Open Culture? Are you aware of the free books that can be found on line? Have you visited the Gutenberg project lately, or ever? I trust you have heard of podcasts. Many unpaywalled online newspapers still exist. Have you heard of RSS feed readers for delivering content of your choosing instead of content chosen for you by an algorithm designed to addict you? My point is that social media walled gardens are actually only a small part of the Internet, and believe it or not, you can live without them.
If you have an unsatisfied need for better social media experiences, leave the slums of Facebook, Twitter, and similar billionaire-created, vermin-infested areas of the Internet and search for better places to be social. If you have been restrained in one of those pens for many years, you may not be aware of the wide variety of alternatives available. Smaller Internet communities are always springing up. Unfortunately, many are also dying, but those on the Fediverse allow you to take your data with you when they do. So, if social media is what you crave, go find better sites than the ones billionaires offer.
Find a small community that suits you. Join it and make online friends in an atmosphere that is not intended to drive you crazy because crazy makes the platform owners rich.
Perhaps the best thing about smaller social media sites is that their users know each other. Not only that, but when they have a question about or an issue with the platform, they actually have someone to talk to who they can be reasonably assured will respond. Small social sites have formed actual communities beyond the reach of billionaires who sometimes seem bent on stomping out that type of behavior at all costs. Those who run smaller sites take the time to solve problems rather than pretending they don’t exist while ignoring users’ reasonable complaints. The reason for this is that those running small sites are not focused on wasting their lives playing the so-you-want-to-be-a-billionaire game. They are focused on creating places where they too can enjoy socializing.
Avoid the toxic walled gardens. Seek out better social media sites with people you can identify with and with whom you can enjoy interacting.
I think those who are willing to spend a substantial amount of time exploring beyond the walled gardens of Facebook, Twitter, and the other large social media sites will eventually learn for themselves that parts of the Internet remain unmarred by crass commercialism. Non-toxic, non-addictive, and non-depressing social media sites still exist in many hidden corners of the web and on other networks not visited by the large search engines. Valuable knowledge can still be gleaned from a large part of the Internet. Interesting conversations can still be engaged in. Online friends can still be made far beyond the control of the money-motivated gatekeepers, toxic social media networks, and psychopathic billionaires.
From Finding “The Internet” Toxic and Depressing? Consider Leaving Your Walled Garden. by Cheapskate’s Guide to Computers and the Internet
