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Comment by catshirt | Hacker News Reader

I recognize this may be a really unpopular opinion but lately I've been feeling like the lack of values and personality in ubiquitous apps like Instagram, Facebook, may be short sighted.

don't get me wrong. i make web software- I get it. just build an interface to the data. but I also think a little personality and good will from these apps could help make the world a better place (Facebook does this in some respects, like celebrating birthdays and friendship anniversaries with fun videos).

that all said... this kind of subjective censorship is totally not what I had in mind... perhaps it's a fine line.

aside (but perhaps more relevant): I'm curious as to who arbitrates this blacklist, and who is responsible for the funny messaging it responds with. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonga)

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I've heard the "personality" that a lot of major sites use referred to as "the new sincerity," because apparently, somehow, "sincere" meant endlessly chipper and painfully patronizing.

Facebook's "on this day" feature starts its blurb with "We care about you", and that just makes me uncomfortable.

Oh and their memories and friendiversary posts? I hate how easy those videos are for them to make, the entire feature is creepy. Facebook friendiversaries are stupid and should not add anything to anything's life, yet so many of my buds LOOOOOVE to share and celebrate.

It's the same way every farmer cares for their cattle.

Not quite so. Farmers don't have to reassure their cows that they care about them. Plus they do care, even if for completely selfish reasons.

Sure, you have to keep the herd together. Farmers do that other ways, but the outcome is the same. Facebook does care, and for the same selfish reasons: they're an eyeball farmer.

Because a grown cow sells for around $1000.

Whereas you are only worth around $250 or less to Facebook! [1].

[1] Dividing their market capitalization, as an estimate of their discounted future cash flows, by their number of users. A better estimate might be smaller, if their user base is expected to grow or they are expected to make lots of money in some other business

But... I'm not on Facebook!!!

haha. i hear you. i'm kind of more into the idea of Facebook saying something like "caution: seems like you're kind of being a dick!" before you post a comment.

I remember the old days of Flickr. The copywriting on that site was spectacular and full of personality. Slack has some of it, but Slack is not as fun as Flickr was.

yep. and i think that is just a small step.

when you enter some community event (bingo, concerts, golf) the social atmosphere does a good job self regulating. there are expected standards for behavior. the internet is a different beast of course, but i wonder if we still can't do a better job encouraging people do be/do good.

You and I apparently don't attend the same sort of concerts.

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