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Comment by codetrotter | Hacker News Reader

> Rust gaining popularity

As it should.

Beyond that though. How relevant even is Meta anymore? They are a dying company aren’t they? Facebook hasn’t been relevant in ages. Instagram is losing footing too.

Only way I can see them maintaining relevance is if one or more of the following happens:

- They turn out to be right in their bet on VR and Metaverse. Personally I doubt it, and I think VR and Metaverse is closer akin to a hellscape than much else. Or,

- TikTok is banned like some media is talking about happening. Then people might flock to Instagram. Or,

- They aquire another up and coming social network. Maybe they will buy BeReal?

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React/RN is the largest web & native cross-platform framework, Jest is one of the main testing tools as well.

The Facebook app itself is massive, it's the most used classifieds, basically replacing craigslist, still used for many groups and many local businesses use it solely, their ad business is still raking it in. Event coordination and connections are maintained on FB since most everyone has it.

Instagram isn't dying either, it's very popular for both advertisers and influencers, TikTok stole some but they are really two different services, one static images one short videos with some overlap to compete.

Your social circle may not use those apps but A LOT of people do.

I don't use any social media because I'm not social, but I have to use FB to see community updates, to coordinate with groups, to sell/buy things, to lookup businesses without websites, etc. I don't see TikTok or others having that moat or even attempting to dig it.

Facebook has the businesses, the users, and the developers. In no way are they dying.

Instagram changed their algo to prioritize video content over images though. I think it is a mistake.

My wife's feed mainly shows images as that's mostly what her followers post.

People's habits have been switching to use videos (the bubbles) as they disappear. They are using it like SnapChat. It's not the algo that changed.

Your feed is just what your followers have recently posted. When you go to a profile the bubbles (videos) are at the top and the images / perm videos are in their gallery.

They have changed the algo. Several pro photographers and photograph artists have confirmed this.

I'm sure they are always changing the alg like all social media companies, but the habits of people have changed. They are most likely adjusting to it.

But the main thing that effects your app experience is who you follow, what they post, and how you browse. Personally I've always gone straight to the profiles and view from there, but I view IG more as a photo gallery than anything else.

> … but the habits of people have changed.

Surely, it could be both: the algorithm changes people’s habits and people change their posting habits based on the activity they think the algorithm is rewarding?

Certainly. The habit changes are just my anecdote. The anecdotes of others such as the mentioned photographers. They are two different perspective (consumer and creator) so I'm sure there are different experiences.

The consumer notices changes of their friends, who is posting what.

The creator notices changes in their impressions, how many is viewing what.

> their ad business is still raking it in

I haven't read any recent earnings statement, but curious how bad Apple's new privacy policies were for FB.

They nearly tripled their earnings from $10b~ to $28~ the past year, up from $5b in 2020. They've said the iOS changes may impact up to $10b~

Regardless of the expected loss, that overall increase and total billions in profit is not "dying" by any means.

> Beyond that though. How relevant even is Meta anymore? They are a dying company aren’t they? Facebook hasn’t been relevant in ages. Instagram is losing footing too.

The lies and the media reports of the so called death of the fastest company to reach $1 trillion dollars in the 21st century has been greatly exaggerated. Especially with having platforms with 1 billion+ users each.

Meta has plenty of cash and revenues to sail though this decade. And no. Your social circles and anecdotes is not evidence.

The absolute dumpster fire that is their pivot to VR however.. go look at this and the replies and then remember this is what they are betting the company on at a time when they have never had less user trust, goodwill or greater potential for government oversight.

This is hopefully the beginning of the end for them.

https://twitter.com/metaquestvr/status/1551943338038726657

Dying stars still have a big gravity well.

Heavier stars might not explode as supernovae, just quietly implode into black holes.

Analogies fall apart eventually.

That is a witty comment.

A highly profitable multi-billion dollar company is dying?

Edgelord devs are a weird group.

Growth isn't everything, and Meta isn't dying anymore than MS is.

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