[cedws]

Meta has a monopoly on socialisation, if you delete these apps it does have a detrimental effect on your social network. I refused to use any Meta apps for the longest time but eventually caved on using Instagram and it has given me the ability to connect with people more, even though I hate it.

[Ianjit]

"Meta has a monopoly on socialisation". Step out into the world, there is so much to discover.

[cedws]

I have. I’m 24, I stepped out and realised everyone from my generation is dating on dating apps, arranging meet ups on Instagram, talking about things they saw on TikTok, getting jobs on LinkedIn.

[ok123456]

I don't know about the other things, but no one is getting jobs from LinkedIn.

[alsetmusic]

I got my current job via LinkedIn in 2023.

[Avshalom]

Alright and only one of those things is owned by Zuckerberg.

[cedws]

Ok so it’s not a monopoly, it’s whatever you want to call it, the spirit of the comment was making the point that social media is the new social fabric.

[stetrain]

A lot of the real-world friends I have made coordinate our next real-world activities and share photos of previous activities via Meta products.

[Ianjit]

What I was trying to say is that as individuals we can choose to seek a social life outside of Meta's empire. Perhaps socialisation doesn't exist outside of walled gardens any more, but the universe is full of surprises.

[Chris2048]

As individuals? If your friends and family all use meta products, are you suggesting to get new friends and family, or to convince them all to use other products?

[Ianjit]

Yes, you have that choice. Perhaps you decide that the cost of trying to build a social life outside of the "meta monopoly" is too high. But in life you have choices, there are people out there who also want to construct a social fabric outside of Meta.

[Chris2048]

I didn't ask if you/I have that choice, I asked if you think it reasonable - I think most would consider abandoning family and current friends over the issue is "too high" at least, extreme and immoral at worst.

[stetrain]

I do have such a social life with real friends in the real world. Cutting out Meta products would reduce how often I see those friends because I would be missing out on communication and planning for those groups.

Ideally they could all switch to a different platform but getting everyone in a group to make that switch is difficult.

My point is that social networks and real-world interaction aren't exclusive. These products facilitate a lot of real-world social interaction as well, and the network effect of most people having an account there makes it hard to move away from.