For example, would removing infinite scrolling help make it less addictive? Would you keep the upvote/downvote system, remove it, or classify posts differently to foster better discussions? How about adding a countdown timer to log the user out after a certain number of hours of use?
If psychological research can be used to keep users engaged on a social network for as long as possible, I believe it can also be applied to help prevent excessive use, improve the quality of discussions, and create a more empathetic environment. That’s why I’d love to hear suggestions from those in the field.
No images, text only.
My hot take is that memes made the internet worse. Why make a new joke when you can copy someone else’s? Why write thoughtful political commentary when you can slap 100 characters on a picture and call it a day? Don’t link the article, screenshot the headline and put a picture of your favorite favorite celebrity under it. That’s content, baby!
I mean, copypastas would still exist. So long as people are trying to show off on the internet for likes or points, there will be people trying to steal other people’s popular content or say the most outlandish things to get a response. You could tackle this by removing likes/points or you could remove the algorithm that gives preferential visibility towards things with the most likes/points/comments. People just don’t want to feel lonely and if that part of their brain lights up when they steal jokes and get a ton of likes, maybe the solution is creating a situation that fosters real connection instead of emulating that feeling with of likes and digital attention?
Copypasta is as easy to copy but memes are wayyy easier to digest so they’re way more prevalent. Text uses basically no bandwidth in comparison, too.
It’s just filler that keeps people scrolling.
Would you also want to ban URLs even though they are technically just text? I also wonder if a social media site this limited would be able to survive when up against websites that are designed to be as addictive as possible. Actually, how does any non-addictive site compete with that and survive? My only guess is that it’d have to actually make people feel good about themselves and be less lonely. Fight addiction with a better emotion instead.