In the 00's we already knew Facebook was the new cocaine. Us being the 20 somethings that spent all our lives online creating content in the UGC web 2.0 days.
Everyone wanted to try it.
Cool if you had it.
Fun for parties.
But then we got old.
Now funny enough it's passed on to the old old (40, 50+ and the mainstream), and to them it's reality.
It didn't get passed to the younger kids (18 and below), and the young folks (20-27's) are bored with it.
We can look forward to the same tactics cigarette and fossil fuel companies used being repeated, from funded papers being released, to the same law firms etc etc
Maybe contrary to the trend, but I've never hated facebook, it provides a utility for me to stay connected with friends, especially new ones I would have lost track of in my phone contact.
I tried really hard to understand why some people hated it, and at least for some people I know, it seems to stem from the fact that they are trying very hard to impress everyone in their circle / follower, which takes a ton of time and can even be stressful.
It seems there is no way Facebook or other social media can make those people happy, because they are drawn to the attentions they can get, but many eventually grown to hate the work they have to do to maintain it. Only if there is a way to stay popular without constant hard work!
I'm not sure why Facebook is always singled out with these comparisons.
If FB is the new cigarettes (which feels like an absurd comparison), then Twitter and Youtube are just as bad — and they've done even less to counter the negative externalities their engagement algorithms create.
I think Twitter dodges this criticism mostly because of how popular the platform is with journalists.
WeChat has low penetration in the US and also is not HQ’d there; thus, even if you think it ought to be regulated - probably outside the scope of the US government.
Addiction is higher than with FB but it doesn't make me feel miserable.