I love the idea of the Indie Web. When I first began writing this blog last year, I had made a post about how much I missed the “old internet” before it was taken over by venture capitalists. Even Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit were good ideas at first, but their tactics have made them into a challenge to overcome rather than a social space.
The Indie Web terminology for sites like these are a “silo.” Rather than engage closely with the web as a network, they are closed spaces that draw in users. It is only possible to participate in discussions if you are already a user on the site (good luck being seen if you try to write about them from outside). Moreover, their linking tactics privilege content that is already on the website. On LinkedIn, for example, the algorithm privileges blog entries and posts that are written for the site, rather than links to pages outside of it. Facebook has also captured a great deal of engagement through the creation of groups.
Unfortunately, these websites sell your data and turn you into a product. They are better understood as advertisers than as social media platforms.
It didn’t have to be this way, and I think the source of trouble lies with the development of the algorithm. When I first joined Facebook in 2010, there was a chronological newsfeed. My newsfeed only showed me content from people I was friends with, and it was a powerful tool for keeping in touch with old friends and making new ones. Today, I don’t see any content from friends or family. Everything is “promoted”–that is, paid for by somebody who is likely also hoping to make revenue from selling a product. The few posts that are not “promoted” are “recommended”–a way for social media platforms to keep you online. I see little draw in recommended posts.
I will confess that I did withdraw from social media last March (2024) and stayed offline until this past August. The one social media platform that I continued to engage with was Reddit, which has somehow been better about allowing me to talk with actual people. I returned to Facebook and LinkedIn because I am currently going through a life transition, and I thought it would be best to connect with those who I’ve known for a long while. Moreover, I thought it wise to have an online presence, instead of appearing as a ghost to those who might search my name.
The odd thing about the internet is the unspoken obligation to have some sort of online presence. If you do not appear in search results, you may as well not exist. In addition, it’s actually really hard to stay on top of happenings in your local area without access to social media.
In Tunisia, everything is on Facebook. Most organizations do not have websites at all, but even the smallest, informal seller will have a Facebook presence. Social media “stories” are used to advertise upcoming events and deals, and it’s a really good tool for keeping tabs with what is taking place in the area. Without Facebook, I felt out of touch.
When I came back, I was bombarded by a firehose of ads, promotions, and various other content that I frankly could not care less about. Sadly, the only thing that I found on social media was advertising. My friends and family are all on Facebook–in theory–but it’s hard to tell by looking at my news feed. Instead, everybody has been cordoned off into their own bubbles, believing that there is viral content shared in common.
There is reason to believe they are right: Facebook was ground-zero for viral content for its first decade of existence. In fact, in many ways, it acted in ways similar to local radio: anyone “tuned in” would have access to the same information. That is no longer true, and the asynchronicity of users’ experiences defeats the purpose.
I suspect that the IndieWeb and the Fediverse are ways to tap back into the very aspects that made social media worthwhile when it was first launched. I set up an RSS feed reader (Thunderbird’s native reader) to keep track of blogs and articles that matter to me without them being curated by some black box algorithm that nobody understands.
When I first launched this blog, I had links to my Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, but I removed them, as I did not want to reinforce silos that I honestly find reprehensible. Instead, I’ve included a link to my email address and my newly-launched Mastodon account. This way, I can encourage open communication and serious human touch (even if running the risk of receiving spam from bots).
There needs to be a prison break from siloed digital platforms, but I’m skeptical that one will take place anytime soon. I’m complicit in this, as I will be maintaining my siloed accounts, if only to try–with ever so much difficulty–to follow those who do not inhabit independently-owned online spaces.
With effort, we can develop a more human online ecosystem.
