I've heard some great ideas around making algorithms open, splitting platforms apart (Meta world have to divest one of Instagram or Facebook), and splitting businesses apart (Google search would need separate ownership from YouTube), etc.
One way to promote alternatives is to make those platforms harder to use.
Commercial social media platforms already mark certain conversations as bad and censor them. Both Zuckerberg and Musk seem to have political goals and have changed how their platforms work to promote them.
If they were a free marketplace of ideas, I'd agree. But while Facebook is hiding news in Canada, YouTube is promoting rage-bait, and Twitter is making weird tweaks for Musk's self confidence, they seem like they're trying to promote a US worldview.
It'd be interesting to see what would replace them if they weren't available.
Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have fucked up public discourse. They reward rage-bait content, they're addictive by design, encourage tribalism, and they use an opaque algorithm to promote/demote posts. They silently censor ideas and content. Meta censors news in Canada.
Zuckerberg and Musk appear to have political aims they are using their platforms to promote.
Why would I want that? I get the slippery slope argument, but they are a slippery slope already.
I can't speak for the Lemmite up thread, but it isn't necessarily apathy. Trump & co successfully characterized these as partisan attacks.
Unless they can actually achieve something (like rolling back illegal legislation/policies), they're useless.
Time and effort would be better spent convincing the electorate that the Dems are worth electing.
Imagine trying to win over the electorate instead. That'd be crazy.
Dad jokes, but Mom?
That's a great idea!
I think it's more the network effect. There aren't many users here. Like, I know the handles of all the usual posters on the Canada community.
I find Sync For Lemmy to have a great UI. I've been using it for years, and have it configured to perfection. I use other clients that are good, I can tell they're good, but they don't fit the same way.