Pluralistic: Social media without socializing (19 Jan 2026)

Today's links

Social media without socializing: For Zuck, your friends are a problem to be solved.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: "Among Others"; Vagina tea-balls; MLK was a socialist; Planet Money's free Gatsby audiobook; Bounty for wiretapping lefty profs; Poe's graveside ritual; Sleep Mafia; Whence came tarps; GM's Dieslgate; NRO's octopus; Amazon solidarity; Billionaire-proofing the internet.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Enshittification isn't caused by venture capital: Sure, they want "profit at all costs" but ask yourself, 'why is enshittification profitable?'
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Why Millennials aren't leaving Tiktok: It's the same reason that Boomers can't leave Facebook.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2009, 2014, 2019
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Podcasts, events and more.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Leaving Twitter had no effect on NPR's traffic: The brittle equilibrium of stage three enshittification.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Saving the news from Big Tech with end-to-end social media: The final installment in my EFF series on saving the news.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2013, 2018, 2022
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Justice Warriors: Matt Bors', Ben Clarkson's and Felipe Sobriero's scorchingly brilliant, viciously funny, dystopian sf graphic novel.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Social Quitting: How social media barons squandered their lock-in and made themselves obsolete.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: None
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

What the fediverse (does/n't) solve: We can protect our communities from commodification, but it takes work.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Better failure for social media: The right of exit, freedom of reach, and technological self-determination.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Podcasting How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism: Part one of five(ish).
The real cancel culture: Multiple-choice union-busting.
Ad-tech's algorithmic cruelty: What technology does isn't as important as who it does it TO.
Folio Society publishes Philip K Dick's short fiction: Books as artifacts.
This day in history: 2011, 2016
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading