How we lost communication to entertainment

kept by eddie dec 29, 25

Communication platforms have been co-opted by advertising and entertainment, as social media and ride-sharing alike prioritize profit over genuine human connection.

ActivityPub Won by Being Boring - Owl Owl OÜ
ActivityPub’s success stems from its intentionally plain design using basic web primitives, and its next revision must remain boring to support wider federation.
also on ActivityPub, Mastodon, #internet-culture, #social-media
A Social Filesystem
Hacker News commenters debate the AT Protocol's social filesystem metaphor, praising its elegance but criticizing overengineering and centralization risks.
also on ActivityPub, Mastodon, #internet-culture, #social-media
Why I email complete strangers
Cold-emailing strangers with genuine intent often leads to meaningful connections, and the anxiety of sending is outweighed by the potential for unexpected positive outcomes.
also on #communication, #internet-culture, #social-media, #user-experience
The Best Conversation Openers - The New York Times
The New York Times suggests replacing vague openers like 'What's up?' with specific, context-aware questions to spark more engaging conversations.
also on #communication, #user-experience
Bradley Cadenhead: The Boy Who Became 764
The article details how bullied Texas teen Bradley Cadenhead created the extremist Discord network 764, coercing minors into self‑harm and CSAM, leading to an 80‑year sentence.
also on Discord, #social-media