- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
Seven years later, Kyle’s argument is that AirSpace has turned into what he now calls Filterworld, a phrase he uses to describe how algorithmic recommendations have become one of the most dominating forces in culture, and as a result, have pushed society to converge on a kind of soulless sameness in its tastes.
Thanks for flagging that up, there is a lot there beyond just RSS readers and I have been merrily noting down bits that touch on my broader concerns. They mention it early on: “the deterioration of the open web” of which the sidelining of RSS readers is a symptom (after Google Reader died, I migrated to Feedly and have tries some FOSS alternatives but it isn’t the same, partly because the Web isn’t the same but also I am wary about going all in on a service that could be bought up and/or die at someone else’s whims. Why I am looking for Fediverse solutions). With the rise of Big Tech and their social media companies, it felt like all the utopian dreams and energy were funneled into walled gardens and, at the time, that seemed an acceptable compromise to help get the waves of new users online with free and convenient platforms available to help ease them into web life. It’s only with the enshittification of social media that it has become clear that it wasn’t worth it.
That’s why I am enthusiastic about the Fediverse as it feels like the more natural evolution of the web - as if some clever soul had come along and looked at all the forums and blogs then asked “what if they could talk to each other?” And it’s good but it could do better and the things they discuss on their are key - curation and allowing people with niche interests to discover each other. I’ve been kicking around a few ideas like this for a while on here (most recently a federated Delicious, Fedilicious, which would integrate well with a Fediverse as the latter pumps content in and the former shares and categorises the various links that get discovered) and am now putting in a bit more focus to take notes as I go. So, in that respect, that article was very useful for thinking more broadly on the issue, and raising RSS readers as a good option (newsletters might have to wait).
If you remember, I’d love it if you kept us posted on the projects. It sounds like you’re on to many somethings.