Meta | They Asked For It!

[Ayashe Ninetails]

2 minutes ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

That’s why I like the algorithms. Saves me time. I don’t know what’s all out there and I do not want to look too much. Having a system that knows what I want and gives me suggestions seems like a real time saver to me.

To some it’s music. To me it’s everything else. Like on YouTube it will offer me suggestions based on what I like and usually I do! So it’s fun having a system that knows me. But I’m not hyper paranoid so what do I know.

Yeah, music "advertising" (using the term very loosely here) is the only thing I tolerate. Though it's not really advertising in that case as much as it's here, we've created a playlist for you, have fun. I can later decide on my own if I want to support these artists on other platforms or not.

As for YouTube, I have whole portions of the website blocked (the recommended section that shows next to the video itself is entirely blanked out). I watch a lot of gaming content on there and YouTube has an obnoxious habit of including videos with spoiler-content (including right in the titles) in the recommended area without a care in the world. I would be watching someone's 30+ video game playlist, totally engrossed in the story, and suddenly see "OMG CAN U BELIEVE *main character* DIEEEED reaction video!" show up as a recommended video. Like no, we're done with that now, go away.

[Charolotte Caxton]

22 hours ago, Nalates Urriah said:

Antonioo, I would be interested in how you know that? I suspect that is your opinion, not actual knowledge.

As for actual facts, Facebook has already done that manipulation thing. Using Google to search for information about their manipulation I get 153 million hits on the subject. And as has been pointed out, FB executives have responded to questions about the subject. You can read FB's response to the claim of manipulating 689,000 of their users in a Forbes article.

If you think FB cannot manipulate people, you might want to consider reading some of the information on the subject. You might also want to consider information on psychological warfare. And while a long and less than riveting book, The Rape of the Mind by Dr. Joost A.M. Meerloo, Chris Matthews, et al. should wake you up to what is possible and the type of mind manipulation used over the decades.

@Charolotte Caxton While Antonioo writes as if he knows something, just a little online research will reveal his level of naiveté.

If you want to know how to avoid being manipulated, avoid relying on Antonioo's sterling assurance backed up by... what?

Instead educate yourself on how political parties and governments use influence to control people and then consider where the data for those manipulations comes from. Then consider why a large corporation would NOT take advantage of such tactics to attain their goals.

When I wrote earlier that most people are clueless... do a little research and see if you can identify the clueless one in this not yet a debate.

Thanks. That’s a lot of educating myself. 

[Charolotte Caxton]

2 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Yeah, music "advertising" (using the term very loosely here) is the only thing I tolerate. Though it's not really advertising in that case as much as it's here, we've created a playlist for you, have fun. I can later decide on my own if I want to support these artists on other platforms or not.

As for YouTube, I have whole portions of the website blocked (the recommended section that shows next to the video itself is entirely blanked out). I watch a lot of gaming content on there and YouTube has an obnoxious habit of including videos with spoiler-content (including right in the titles) in the recommended area without a care in the world. I would be watching someone's 30+ video game playlist, totally engrossed in the story, and suddenly see "OMG CAN U BELIEVE *main character* DIEEEED reaction video!" show up as a recommended video. Like no, we're done with that now, go away.

Oh that would suck, like spoiler alerts please, ha. But you and I use the internet different so I guess that’s why it affects us diff?

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

Oh that would suck, like spoiler alerts please, ha. But you and I use the internet different so I guess that’s why it affects us diff?

Yeah, I don't know why YouTube does that. I guess their algorithm can't get that specific with recommendations. Not sure. It really sucks, though. I would hope people who watch movies/shows/etc. on there aren't seeing stuff like that, either.

I'm not sure if I use the internet differently. I just like to custom-tailor the experience whenever I can so I don't have to see so much junk all over the sites I use/view regularly. I started using the Internet back in the Angelfire/Tripod/Geocities 90s days, so I'm a bit against things flashing at me and trying to get my attention. 😂 I like my websites clean and minimal!

[Charolotte Caxton]

29 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Yeah, I don't know why YouTube does that. I guess their algorithm can't get that specific with recommendations. Not sure. It really sucks, though. I would hope people who watch movies/shows/etc. on there aren't seeing stuff like that, either.

I'm not sure if I use the internet differently. I just like to custom-tailor the experience whenever I can so I don't have to see so much junk all over the sites I use/view regularly. I started using the Internet back in the Angelfire/Tripod/Geocities 90s days, so I'm a bit against things flashing at me and trying to get my attention. 😂 I like my websites clean and minimal!

I like that attitude, yeah I’m a rl minimalist myself I used to turn off everything! Lol. Now I’m like whatever. Do dislike crazy ads though. Did the adblocker thing way back when. Now I think I’m pretty ok at not getting too crazy of stuff. But yeah, sometimes I just wanna derender stuff ha.

[Ceka Cianci]

Zuck looks like his FaceMetaBook really hard one time and it just stayed flat like that.

[Charolotte Caxton]

1 minute ago, Ceka Cianci said:

Zuck looks like his FaceMetaBook really hard one time and it just stayed flat like that.

Omg too funny

[Kimmi Zehetbauer]

Yuck looks like that doofus dood in Mad Magazine --- Mr. Newman.

[Caroline Takeda]

22 hours ago, Nalates Urriah said:

I would not call what they are doing as splitting hairs. I consider it legal but blatant misdirection.

Is it personal information if you like Italian or Mexican food? Is it personal information if you have high blood pressure? Is it personal information if you are over weight? Into supplements? Republican, Democrat, or Independent? All these factors and more contribute to what you see... and not just which ads. FB, Twitter, Google, and many online services boost or deboost information depending on the viewer.

Try the exact same search on different websites. On controversial subjects you can often see a shift in the theme of the results.

Often saying 'sell' hides the data sharing they do. For individuals it is usually a matter of who gets the information and whether it is used in ways detrimental to us.

Nalates,

personalized search results based browsing history can be easily switched off for organic search results, not for ads though.

I totally agree that cross-channel-marketing is the thing at the moment. I have been to an OM conference recently where i attended a speech of one of the Telekom Digital Managers about the future of Online Marketing.

Cross channel and augmented reality was  a big part of it.

Imagine you go to an airport, where you often see those digital ad-bords. In the future they will show ads depending on who is near those and to what interest / target / needs  Group that individual belongs. They might even serve retarging ads on those.

Fascinating.

[Istelathis]

20 hours ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

We have to remember that ‘they’ are just people like us.

While we may share many similarities, there are key differences such as a lust for power is something I never wanted, if anything I want the exact opposite and to be left relatively alone by most people.  The thought of having that much control over someone else repulses me, just as it would for others to have control over me.  I'm relatively anarchistic in such a way, and by merit of my own sense of ethics will oppose such power structures.

 

20 hours ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

Not some kind of huge omnipotent monster.

What I fear though, is that we are building one - well at least something that resembles one.  An all seeing contraption, which has the ability to influence the thoughts of the masses, through knowledge of their desires and fears.  Not necessarily a sentient one, but one driven through some people's desire of power over others, while many who lack imagination of such hells, can not fathom such a world where we have become shackled to a God of our own creation.  I don't trust humanity enough quite yet to build such a thing.  The Gods we have created and only reside in the imagination of many, have resulted in a lot of harm already.  I do believe it has the potential to do great harm to many, and evidence of this as far as I have seen, is the dividing of this country, and the frothing of many mouths in desire to have a great civil war, and see others suffer.

I for one, do not welcome our potential new overlords 😜  

Sorry for going off the wall there, but this is something that disturbs me greatly, and has been of a concern for a while.  I would not consider myself a luddite, as I greatly value technology, I see the potential good in it, and how it liberates humanity - I also see how it can be used as a tool for those who seek to enslave us to their will.

Thankfully, I don't believe we have hit such a point yet, and I do hope it is only in my overactive imagination, that such a world will ever exist.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Istelathis

[Love Zhaoying]

19 hours ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

Not some kind of huge omnipotent monster.

I hope there are indeed omnipotent monsters. We can gain their powers by killing and eating them! 

Just like companies do when they merge.

[Caroline Takeda]

All right!

Now what? Do they have legs or not  after all?

[Luna Bliss]

20 hours ago, Charolotte Caxton said:

21 hours ago, Istelathis said:

Well, unfortunately, this is our new reality and privacy is a thing of the past.  It feels we have become little more than a herd pushed to and fro by people trying to manipulate our emotions, apparently driven by political aspirations of the power hungry, consumerism, and greed.  

It wouldn’t be possible if the people didn’t accept it. Power, consumption and greed drives the world. We have to remember that ‘they’ are just people like us. Not some kind of huge omnipotent monster. When ‘we’ don’t  like something enough we revolt. I don’t see ‘us’ revolting against being able to buy anything we want from a computer screen anytime too soon.

While I agree that the "us" you reference (those outside the larger corporations and financiers who wield more power in our society) are also selfish I hesitate equating them by proclaiming "oh we're all selfish" as an excuse to become lackadaisical about the crisis we're facing due to overconsumption.

I have to wonder how many of us would feel okay about using certain technical devices if we knew some of the elements were obtained via children working under horrid conditions in far away places. Or if we could see the actual cost being paid by migrants presently being forced from their homes due to our overconsumption in the Western world.
Instead, such information is usually reported via statistics or with an odd article here and there, hidden from view or presented in ways that don't evoke greater concern. Media is controlled by the wealthy and those in power and disallows much news to filter down to the general public -- growing their own wealth is their primary concern.

So I do blame, more, those who hold the most power and actively campaign to deceive us with the intention of claiming a bigger piece of the pie. I can't equate "them" and "us" although both contain an element of selfishness.
We can't revolt unless we know what's actually happening because of our overconsumption, and even if we know a little and try to change we are often held down by those who police us and seek to maintain their interests.

Capitalism is an omnipotent monster with a fatal flaw -- in order to stay alive it needs to grow and abuse others in the process, but it's impossible to have infinite growth on a finite planet, and its growth is gained through the exploitation of others.  While it's true we all created this monster of Capitalism, it is those who justify inequality that insist on feeding the monster.

How media brainwashes us in service of the wealthy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manufacturing_Consent

[Ayashe Ninetails]

18 minutes ago, Caroline Takeda said:

All right!

Now what? Do they have legs or not  after all?

In Meta's Horizon Worlds - no. At least, not in any gameplay videos I've seen recently.

In the Metaverse? We don't know, as it doesn't even exist yet (and may never exist for all we know).

[Luna Bliss]

23 minutes ago, Caroline Takeda said:

All right!

Now what? Do they have legs or not  after all?

 

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Just now, Luna Bliss said:

 

WAT IS WITH THOSE ARMS? Brb having nightmares. 😩

[Rowan Amore]

1 minute ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

WAT IS WITH THOSE ARMS? Brb having nightmares. 😩

At least they don't have to deal with t-rex arms syndrome.  

[Luna Bliss]

26 minutes ago, Caroline Takeda said:

All right!

Now what? Do they have legs or not  after all?

But seriously, Meta has these new avatars with legs for their Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. They haven't made it to their VR offerings yet, like Horizon Worlds.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

Just now, Luna Bliss said:

But seriously, Meta has these new avatars with legs for their Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram. They haven't made it to their VR offerings yet, like Horizon Worlds.

Okay but real talk - having legs in "Beta" is so dang funny I gigglesnorted into my coffee. 

This is not a serious platform. There is absolutely nothing I've seen that makes me believe it's even trying to be. Just go through YouTube and see what people are doing in there (hint, not much). 

[Luna Bliss]

17 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

Okay but real talk - having legs in "Beta" is so dang funny I gigglesnorted into my coffee. 

This is not a serious platform. There is absolutely nothing I've seen that makes me believe it's even trying to be. Just go through YouTube and see what people are doing in there (hint, not much). 

Not quite sure what you mean by "serious", but I think having fun and being imaginative is a serious endeavor -- we all need to have some fun and do imaginative things. And it does appear people are having fun creating worlds and playing games in Horizon Worlds. There are ways for creators to monetize now as well. 

Those in SL tend to dislike the cartoony look, but it doesn't seem to bother those in Horizon Worlds. They are busy building and playing games, and don't seem as focused on their personal avatar, though it appears avatar customization will improve in the future. 

[NevaehHeartstrings]

SL grew into what it became from a dream of a shared virtual world, with Meta it is a money grab upfront while a tool to control by a powerful corporate entity that only cares about itself above all others.

The future of any shared fully immersive virtual metaverse will not come from a business plan. but, will grow like a young flower rising up out of the earth by a strong global community with a non profit roadmap. a multipolarity world of societies bound together on a decentralized platform while empowering those inside to be anything or anyone they want to be while providing new tools for education, understanding and diversity in thought and practice without fear of government censorship and indirect control using corporate partnerships to conceal human rights violations.

We of the world cannot allow a small narrow perception of the future to bound us to a certain future, snowcrash & related genre was a good idea for its time but was limited in scope and in inclusivity,

It's imperative that the ideas, dreams & perceptions from the peoples of Asia, Africa & Latin America also count, eastern and other non western ideas of a global metaverse should not only count but they are the majority of the world. I believe also this current plan of a metaverse is rooted in long deep sexiest ideology masked behind social equality will practicing bigotry and modern imperialism and in itself uninclusive, destructive and the completely wrong direction.

I will not go into further detail or debate anyone, this was my own thoughts about Meta right or wrong. Have a good day!

[Ayashe Ninetails]

1 minute ago, Luna Bliss said:

Not quite sure what you mean by "serious", but I think having fun and being imaginative is a serious endeavor -- we all need to have some fun and do imaginative things. And it does appear people are having fun creating worlds and playing games in Horizon Worlds. There are ways for creators to monetize now as well. 

Those in SL tend to dislike the cartoony look, but it doesn't seem to bother those in Horizon Worlds. They are busy building and playing games, and don't seem as focused on their personal avatar, though it appears avatar customization will improve in the future. 

Oh no, what I meant by serious is the way you see soooo soo so so so so many articles talking about how this kind of stuff is going to change the world and how we do business and how we socialize and experience life and whatnot. Yeah, I see it much like you do. Just a fun, goofy platform to play some FPS or fishing games in. Nothing wrong with that, but I don't see why we need every news publication on Earth writing about it. 😩 

I know they're talking about the future "Metaverse" with all of that, but if THIS (Horizon Worlds) is what Meta's creating in the here and now, I'm not sure how we'll go from silly Wii graphics to an entirely new substitute real world fully re-imagined in VR. If that makes sense.

[Rowan Amore]

Post Malone Performance Debuts In Horizon Worlds This Week (uploadvr.com)

[Luna Bliss]

4 minutes ago, Ayashe Ninetails said:

I know they're talking about the future "Metaverse" with all of that, but if THIS (Horizon Worlds) is what Meta's creating in the here and now, I'm not sure how we'll go from silly Wii graphics to an entirely new substitute real world fully re-imagined in VR. If that makes sense.

I think Horizon Worlds is meant to be just one of the many places we can visit within a Metaverse, and not the Metaverse itself.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

5 minutes ago, Rowan Amore said:

Post Malone Performance Debuts In Horizon Worlds This Week (uploadvr.com)

Most interesting part of that news is that they kicked Venues to the curb and rolled it into Horizon Worlds? That means only 18+ can access concerts there now (well, in theory), if I'm remembering correctly.

 

3 minutes ago, Luna Bliss said:

I think Horizon Worlds is meant to be just one of the many places we can visit within a Metaverse, and not the Metaverse itself.

That still doesn't make any sense to me, then. Like, if you want the Metaverse to be super realistic in the the way all these articles are talking about, then why would you want the jarring experience of hopping into a world that looks so much like...that? At first, I honestly thought Horizon Worlds was targeted to children, but it's 18+ from my understanding, so I guess I don't get it?