With new revelations about Facebook and Instagram knowingly putting profits above the well-being of their users (aka products) many have started comparing these companies to the tobacco industry. This is an apt comparison: tobacco companies for years hid the risks of their product. They knowingly made people sick, very sick, and made lots of money in the process.
Social media is a little more nuanced in the way it hurts people. If someone uses tobacco every day for years, they will almost certainly have a definitive physical health issue (cancer, emphysema, and/or ashtray breath). Alternatively, if someone uses social media for extended periods everyday, they will likely have status as an “influencer” a shit ton of followers, and be really good at selfies.
They likely find themselves isolated. Questioning their self-worth/physical image. And missing valuable time they could have spent learning how to hand cut dovetails.
That may not be true for everyone. My grandfather smoked camel non-filters every day from 15 to 77 and died without any cancer. Many influencers likely have great friend and family circles and fulfilling lives offline.
But I wanted to argue that social media is actually NOT like tobacco. Smoking tobacco, outside of tasting good to some people and being important in spiritual rituals for some is mostly just dangerous. In my youth I definitely enjoyed smoking and was frankly, quite good at it.
Social media is more like alcohol.
We know alcohol is dangerous—that’s why we have a minimum age for use, and generally try to control it. You’re not supposed to drive after drinking. And over consumption of it will kill you…after seriously disrupting your life. When enjoyed in moderation it brings people together. When in excess, it can be isolating.
Alcohol is problematic. People become addicted to it; it causes health and social issues. Not everyone can control their use of it. I personally have all kinds of negative associations with alcohol and I’m sensitive to others who share that.
Despite all of that, alcohol also brings people together. When handled responsibly and safely, alcohol has a net positive effect. Back when we went to bars regularly, you could meet a person there, share a few laughs, maybe continue to stay in touch, maybe not. It’s that kind of incidental social interaction that blue zones enjoy and is attributed longevity. It is, in ways, a tool that when handled properly enhances your social life and some argue even your physical health.
As a small business, Instagram does the same thing. It is incredibly effective at getting the word out about what small businesses do. Many people run their businesses exclusively through Facebook (now Meta) platforms. I have followers on IG with whom I joke around—despite never having met them. People meet me in person and already know a bit about me because of this…they may have even sought me out at an event. This is both jarring to my Gen X introverted sensibilities and also really great.
These platforms allow my artist friends to share their work, get feedback, have their fans “votes” on new product ideas, and generally raise awareness about what they do. It is incredibly effective marketing. I truly enjoy seeing people I admire on IG posting their new work, sharing their new ideas, and even sharing their personal lives. It’s like a really nice glass of red wine with a good meal, or solid IPA after a fulfilling day in the shop.
HOWEVER.
I have also found myself scrolling through reels of the dumbest shit for 30-40 minutes at a time. The algorithm, the random “rewards”, the LOLz…all carefully programmed to keep me watching like a 24 hour news cycle of the mundane. This, my friends, is like my college roommate funneling Coors light into oblivion. It ain’t good. It steals time. It prevents me from reading literature, writing, or actually connecting with real people.
With the new revelations about Facebook ignoring warnings from internal research about the role its products played in recent political madness around the world and the damage it causes to young users, I considered de-platforming myself. A big part of me does not want to be a part of that mechanism. I don’t want to give them one more bite of data or product to wedge between ads. But as a small business, and just a curious human, I wanted to remain tied in.
I generally gave up drinking earlier this year for various reasons. I’m not alcoholic. I still enjoy a few drinks here and there. It is something I really enjoy in small doses and in the right context. More and more, I see social media in the same way. Less is definitely more. Consider my Instagram pretty much a latergram. I’ll jump on periodically to keep on top of what’s happening. But generally, its a 2 drink maximum for me. For reels.