No. There are short term and long term feedback cycles. They can control the short term ones. But the long term ones lead to Snap
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
Essentially you’re arguing FB could make whatever product it wants, sprinkle sugar and get use. This is partly true but only in short term
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
In fact, the whole history of FB is radical product changes as it tries to follow users. It has almost never been able to lead them.
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
The only place FB has, rightly, thought it knew user wants better than users was in sharing. Everywhere else it follows. Just like google.
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
Did you read my post? I’d be interested in your thoughts on it.
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I have! Was partially responding to it.—Hard in this UI. I think of "what people want" as sinkholes or strange attractors. They're a force.
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Replying to @zeynep @benedictevans and
But they don't exist as singular equilibrium points. There is more than one place they could go—and where that goes depends a lot on paths.
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That’s where we disagree. I think there are very few point, they move (partly because of FB) and FB is continually chasing them.
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
And that FB has very little influence over what they are, though it can try things to find them. This is fashion:
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Replying to @benedictevans @zeynep and
Designers try things to capture the zeitgeist- they can suggest ‘miniskirts’ but cannot make them fashion. People do that. Ditto FB.
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Fashion is a strong interaction between institutional structuring and the zeitgeist!! But fashion isn't the right level of the analogy.
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Replying to @zeynep @benedictevans and
The analogy is human dynamics, right? People herd/want to fit-in, and fashion rides that. Similarly with Facebook.
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Replying to @zeynep @benedictevans and
But how they herd & on what; how ppl make those choices; how things cascade: there are many, distinct paths. Not infinite, but not singular.
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