
Ask HN: Should I continue being a social media luddite? - awinter-py
I don&#x27;t have a facebook or linkedin account because I think these products enable (a) personal time suck, (b) bad kinds of behavioral experimentation, (c) the end of privacy, (d) &#x27;social credit&#x27; systems.<p>But with the exception of (a) and possibly (c), none of these harm me directly. Now that these products are ubiquitous, I seem to be giving up substantial benefit by not using them.<p>Can anyone offer an argument against giving in and signing up?
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bryanph_
What exactly do you feel like you are missing out on by not using facebook?
And whether a linkedin account is beneficial is dependent on what kind of work
you do.

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awinter-py
My hypothesis is that both products make it easier to network with semi-
strangers.

I meet a lot of people who in theory are 'one friend removed' from my social /
professional circle. (Based on shared university, job, or hobby).

The ultimate goal here is to meet people who can help my business, either by
funding it, working at it, or hiring it.

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ParameterOne
<The ultimate goal here is to meet people who can help my business, either by
funding it, working at it, or hiring it. >

Maybe the trick here would be to profile these people like you would when
doing demographics to know who your customer is and then then you will know
exactly who you are looking for and where they are without having to waste
time on social media.

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awinter-py
If I'm reading you correctly you're saying FB/LNKD aren't substitutes for
audience research.

I'm with you so far, but wondering if these channels can be cheaper / more
effective ways to access that audience. In part because it's a platform people
are looking at, and in part because these platforms leverage existing 'once-
removed' circles of trust.

