Someone recently asked me to watch “The Social Dilemma”, a documentary on Netflix, and give my feedback, so I did.  Below is an “expanded version” of my feedback.  I added the last paragraph just before I posted this on my website:

The embedded story with actors about the teenager with the social media addiction was kind of funny.  Especially the “ad” for Kitchen Safe, and actual product that appeared on Shark Tank.  Pretty funny how to three little identical “algorythm guys” inside Facebook were deciding which ads or features to throw at him at any given time.

Unfortunately, it’s all probably a fairly accurate example.  Fake news, culture wars, election manipulation… I would probably even read the book “Weapons of Math Destruction” after watching this, except it’s not on Audible or Kindle, my preferred methods of reading books.  Maybe THAT’s a whole other conspiracy…LOL

There’s just too many vulnerable people in the world that social media can use and manipulate to make money. Just like all Trump supporters… They really believe everything he says (no offense if you’re one of them) but that’s just plain scary to me. If we end up with more of those than people who are smart enough to have an open mind and look at all sides of things in this country, it will eventually end up destroying our entire democracy.

Too many people are just TOO connected these days. In my opinion, everyone needs to take a break sometimes, back off, get out, experience reality, and find a balance.  Personally, I try to limit my exposure to social media. I only look at social media to see what family and friends are up to once or twice a day, and usually only post a status when I walk and it’s all automatic from the app I use to track my walks, so it doesn’t even take any extra effort.  It’s mostly just a one-way thing for me, just to let friends and family know I’m still alive and well, and still out there.  I considered deleting all of my social media accounts a few times, but that would mean losing touch with all of my friends and family, and I don’t really have a problem with using them on my terms.  I can’t really keep up with most of it, especially with also having a full-time job and a few hobbies. Sandy’s retired now, so she reads social media much more, and often keeps me up-to-date when something interesting comes up, or a friend or family member posts something that I might want to know about.   She also uses me to determine if something is a scam or “fake news” when she isn’t sure. Plus, I’m her “IT guy” for all of her tech issues. LOL

Oh, I liked the Steve Wozniak cameo, even though he didn’t talk, he was just in an audience and on his phone, but it was a fairly decent close-up, I couldn’t miss him.  I’m a huge fan of his, we’re about the same age and I learned all about him when he and Steve Jobs first formed Apple. His book was awesome too. I’ve read it several times.

And one more note, specifically about Facebook, as long as I’m commenting on social media… This is just my opinion, but Facebook makes it WAY too easy for a user to have multiple accounts, or “personalities”.  I recently helped a relative get back only her original Facebook account after she got a new cell phone.  She had already created a totally new Facebook account and had sent Sandy a friend request.  I told Sandy it’s most likely a fake account, just delete it, then I got a text from this “fake” account insisting she was who she said she was, and she had to create a new Facebook account, since she couldn’t get into her old account on the new phone she got.  I offered to help her get the old account working if she hadn’t deleted it yet.  She hadn’t, and I was able to easily assist her, in-person, and get her back to her old account.  I also helped her completely delete the NEW Facebook account she had created, but before deleting it, I toyed a little with both accounts in her Facebook app.  Wow, I never realized you can have have two, or probably many more, Facebook accounts and just instantly flip between each of them to be whatever or whoever you want to be any any given time!  Someone could (and I’m sure many people do) create trolling accounts, accounts for illegal and illicit activities, etc., and still maintain an “normal” completely separate Facebook account.  Multiple personalities, anyone?  It’s scary to think about.  Why would they allow this?  Maybe some people have “Work” and “Personal” accounts?  I never considered having multiple Facebook accounts myself, I have a hard enough time just trying to keep track of everyone on ONE account.  Just thought that was an interesting feature, and another one I’m not too fond of.