Social media is defined by users being the main source of content. Not by friendship or acquaintance. Fox News is not social media, because you can’t just upload content to Fox News.
All those platforms work the same way. In the end it’s all about the same social dynamics, about control. “We are the alternative to all the shitty peer groups out there! Join us!” is one of the oldest tricks in the playbook. There is no alternative. Because it’s all based on human nature.
Lemmy is social media. So is Mastodon. So is peer tube. And everything else in the fediverse.
So I wouldn’t compare social media to a gun, across the board.
What is not social media? Were the forums from before Friendster, MySpace, Facebook social media too? I don’t know anyone here. Is a mall a house?
Social media is defined by users being the main source of content. Not by friendship or acquaintance. Fox News is not social media, because you can’t just upload content to Fox News.
All those platforms work the same way. In the end it’s all about the same social dynamics, about control. “We are the alternative to all the shitty peer groups out there! Join us!” is one of the oldest tricks in the playbook. There is no alternative. Because it’s all based on human nature.