We were often told as children that our parents knew us better than we knew ourselves, and to some extent, that was true. An outside perspective is often more insightful than our own personal one.
Whether we like it or not, we are creating certain social profiles outside of our personal profiles that would shock us most of the time. We might think of ourselves as very generous when, in reality, our behavior might show that we are greedy and too self-centered.
Ever since the internet started to be used on a mass scale and the realm of social media networks emerged, our social profiles have extended into the digital world. We can no longer say that we are living solely in what we can perceive with our basic senses.
All these social media apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even the questionable sites, have certain algorithms that work for the companies who paid for them. Some just want to "sell us" (the data they collect from us), while others want to influence our behavior. TikTok, in my opinion, is one of the most prevalent in this regard.
Every move you take, every step you make, I'll be watching you... Well, you can bet that there is something (not necessarily someone) that is watching us on a constant basis, probably even as we sleep, considering that our gadgets exchange information with the servers constantly.
Did you know that Facebook basically does not work if you do not grant the app access to your microphone? The blue pill "can't live without hearing your voice," and it is no wonder that it "knows for sure" what it should advertise to you every time you open the app.
Algorithms are not only used to make advertising and businesses around "data sales" more profitable. These algorithms are now tweaked to influence one's behavior and the choices one makes. I bet the COVID pandemic and the vaccination campaign would not have been so successful without these algorithms.
There are, however, alternatives to such social media apps that have turned into mere numbers from the "identities we used to be." Hive is probably the only such option that wants the best for you and nothing more.
Hive does not use such algorithms because it does not work on such principles. The system is decentralized and does not need funding or a constant stream of funds to keep the business running. Therefore, the identity one creates on Hive is literally a digital reflection of his or her everyday personality, with no interventions at all.
Hive is immutable, and so are our identities in this community. Personally, I would have been banned a long time ago from Facebook (had I still had an account in the past few years) for saying out loud the things I posted about on Hive.
The digital era is upon us, and it is here to stay. However, it will make a huge difference for those who know how to choose wisely the materials they use to shape their digital identities.
Hive is highly undervalued in this regard, but as the society we know collapses, and the true nature of traditional social media is revealed, Hive will rise and shine as it deserves to. What do you think?
Thanks for your attention,
Adrian