Deliberate versus Automated Sharing
As automated — a.k.a. frictionless — sharing becomes more widespread I’m finding myself pulling back from social networks more. It’s not because I consider the music I listen to or the shows I watch to be private information. It just adds to the noise. Unless a conscious decision is made to share something it doesn’t really have much value.
I don’t care what music happens to be playing on Spotify for someone. Why should they care what I listen to? However, if I’m listening to Motley Crue’s Home Sweet Home and I’m so moved I want to post, “Remember when this video was the most request video on MTV?”, then it’s more meaningful. I don’t care to know every single show someone happens to watch on Hulu. But if I see a great SNL skit and choose to share it and say “Herb Welch is the funniest character SNL has had in years”, then it’s more meaningful.
There’s a difference in the things we specifically make a decision to share and the things shared automatically. Automated sharing doesn’t lead to serendipitous discovery as much as it generates a bunch of noise that devalues the Facebook as a whole.
I remember when Facebook was comprised mainly of status updates which people deliberately typed in. Without brand pages. Those were good days.
