In the last episode, Facebook Zero: What It Means for Small Businesses, I outlined the coming changes to Facebook’s algorithm. The intention is for Facebook to fix the ills that have plagued the social media giant, particularly over the past 18 months.
This episode is about why these changes won’t work.
There are 5 reasons why:
- Facebook can’t realistically divest itself from its advertising model
- It depends on promoting unhealthy behavior such as social comparisons
- You can’t fix a new problem using the same toolset
- Asserting that they are a platform avoids accountability
- Who put Zuckerberg in charge of our well-being?
Not that I have all the answers for fixing Facebook, but I also offer a set of my own suggestions at the end of the episode for how to make Facebook better.
Listen to the episode here or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.
Show Notes
Here are links to the articles I mentioned in the episode:
- On the practical reason the algorithm change won’t work: Facebook Can’t Be Fixed by John Battelle
- On Facebook’s real customers: Facebook Aims to Soothe Wall Street Over News Feed Changes by Sheera Frenkel
- On the perils of social comparison: Can Facebook Redeem Itself? (Part 2) by Umair Haque
- On how Zuckerberg is skirting accountability: Facebook Will Now Ask Users to Rank News Organizations They Trust by Elizabeth Dwoskin and Hamza Shaban
For the studies that show how Facebook usage reduces happiness levels, see the “For Further Reading” section at the end of my article, Facebook Is Not the Place for Politics (If You Want to Have an Impact).
How Medium might be lighting a new way forward with their paid membership model: A New Direction for Medium: Can Ev Williams Save the Web?
Next up: My 8-part series on Starting a Business: A Case Example, where I pull back the curtain on the early days of my own business as a blueprint those who are just starting out (or thinking of starting).
Subscribe here and I’ll send you a quick email reminder when they’re ready.
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I like to help. I do that for free in my podcast and blog to help small business owners of all types, including writers, musicians, and other creatives. If you are able, fuel my efforts with a cup of coffee!
You can also support this podcast via Patreon.
I also offer inexpensive help in my online course, and private one-on-one training too.
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