Today’s links Social media needs (dumpster) fire exits: No one wants to have a fire, but you need to plan for one anyway. Hey look at this: Delights to delectate. This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023 Upcoming appearances: Where to find me. Recent appearances: Where I’ve been. Latest books: You keep readin’ em, I’ll keep writin’ ’em. Upcoming books: Like I said, I’ll keep writin’ ’em. Colophon: All the rest. Social media needs (dumpster) fire exits (permalink) Of course you should do everything you can to prevent fires – and also, you should build fire exits, because no matter how hard to you try, stuff burns. That includes social media sites. Social media has its own special form of lock-in: we use social media sites to connect with friends, family members, community members, audiences, comrades, customers…people we love, depend on, and care for. Gathering people together is a profoundly powerful activity, because once people are in one place, they can do things: plan demonstrations, raise funds, organize outings, start movements. Social media systems that attract people then attract more people – the more people there are on a service, the more reasons there are to join that service, and once you join the service, you become a reason for other people to join. Economists call this the “network effect.” Services that increase in value as more people use them are said to enjoy “network effects.” But network effects are a trap, because services that grow by connecting…Pluralistic: Social media needs (dumpster) fire exits (14 Dec 2024)