Is it me, or does Mark Weinstein not know how to promote MeWe?
So MeWe exceeds 4m users. I'm happy for MeWe, because it's promising. However, Mark is still on his "free speech" spiel. He's still talking up MeWe in ways that is important, but secondary, to users.
Anyone here could surmise that the real reason MeWe is gaining steam is due to the massive amount of advertisement on Google Plus, which is closing. People here are looking for something suitable and similar. So you'd think MeWe would promote whatever makes MeWe appeal to Google Plus.
They have, with the Google Plus migrator. Which is good, I commend them. So then why does Mark, and MeWe to a lesser extent, still advertise in a way that is liable to turn off a large amount of people???
From Mark's own words:
"At MeWe the idea of political bias, shadow banning, and censorship of Terms of Service-abiding members runs contrary to our core beliefs. MeWe believes that such censorship denies freedom and stunts progress by allowing only one side of a story, making healthy debate impossible. 'Rightness' about a position, whether it is related to politics, medicine, health, fitness, spirituality, science, or anything else, has often been reversed or changed over time."
Cool. So what? What else does MeWe have to offer when I spend my time on it? And why should I sign up first in order to find out?
This makes me believe that Mark is either inept from a business standpoint, or merely using MeWe as a jumping off point to some sort of social crusade.
If the former, Mark is simply out of touch and has no other creative way to promote MeWe. I've hinted at this before, and it's increasingly obvious that Mark thinks the true selling point of a social network is privacy. No one joins social networks for privacy. Remember when I said privacy is secondary? They join to interact, have fun, and share information (among other things). They want this interaction to be private, so privacy is merely the cherry on top.
Mark, privacy is not the cake itself. We can thank the news for making us think privacy is the end all to social media.
If the latter, then watch out. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT be pressured buy anything from the MeWe store. Anything. He may use the funds from MeWe to give to another Libertarian politician, maybe even himself. This might be conjecture, but at this point Mark is wearing a red flag speedo. I don't like the looks of it. But hey, this is just my free speech.
I've wrote about how the biggest problem with MeWe was actually Mark Weinstein, not the site (since the site can be improved). I see no reason to change my opinion. I rest my case. Or rather Mark does.
P.S. All this news is PR MeWe buys to create the illusion, to the shareholders, that MeWe is sustainable. All news is like that.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/achieving-remarkable-velocity-free-speech-champion-mewe-rockets-beyond-4-million-members-300811509.html
So MeWe exceeds 4m users. I'm happy for MeWe, because it's promising. However, Mark is still on his "free speech" spiel. He's still talking up MeWe in ways that is important, but secondary, to users.
Anyone here could surmise that the real reason MeWe is gaining steam is due to the massive amount of advertisement on Google Plus, which is closing. People here are looking for something suitable and similar. So you'd think MeWe would promote whatever makes MeWe appeal to Google Plus.
They have, with the Google Plus migrator. Which is good, I commend them. So then why does Mark, and MeWe to a lesser extent, still advertise in a way that is liable to turn off a large amount of people???
From Mark's own words:
"At MeWe the idea of political bias, shadow banning, and censorship of Terms of Service-abiding members runs contrary to our core beliefs. MeWe believes that such censorship denies freedom and stunts progress by allowing only one side of a story, making healthy debate impossible. 'Rightness' about a position, whether it is related to politics, medicine, health, fitness, spirituality, science, or anything else, has often been reversed or changed over time."
Cool. So what? What else does MeWe have to offer when I spend my time on it? And why should I sign up first in order to find out?
This makes me believe that Mark is either inept from a business standpoint, or merely using MeWe as a jumping off point to some sort of social crusade.
If the former, Mark is simply out of touch and has no other creative way to promote MeWe. I've hinted at this before, and it's increasingly obvious that Mark thinks the true selling point of a social network is privacy. No one joins social networks for privacy. Remember when I said privacy is secondary? They join to interact, have fun, and share information (among other things). They want this interaction to be private, so privacy is merely the cherry on top.
Mark, privacy is not the cake itself. We can thank the news for making us think privacy is the end all to social media.
If the latter, then watch out. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT be pressured buy anything from the MeWe store. Anything. He may use the funds from MeWe to give to another Libertarian politician, maybe even himself. This might be conjecture, but at this point Mark is wearing a red flag speedo. I don't like the looks of it. But hey, this is just my free speech.
I've wrote about how the biggest problem with MeWe was actually Mark Weinstein, not the site (since the site can be improved). I see no reason to change my opinion. I rest my case. Or rather Mark does.
P.S. All this news is PR MeWe buys to create the illusion, to the shareholders, that MeWe is sustainable. All news is like that.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/achieving-remarkable-velocity-free-speech-champion-mewe-rockets-beyond-4-million-members-300811509.html
The fact that that platform is in the hands of a single person, whatever that person's ideological bent, is enough to turn me off.
ReplyDeleteI am resisting MeWe because of all the right wing extremists I encountered when I first created an account there. That was four months ago. Things may have changed. We shall see.
ReplyDeleteWait, I thought 4 million users = ghost town.
ReplyDeleteFrank D I hope the influx eventually balances out the negative influence. However, there's still Mark.
ReplyDeleteScott GrantSmith MeWe isn't a ghost town, but isn't exactly a lively party either.
Gary Gregory I was referring to the aspersions cast on Google+ since the beginning. If MeWe gets halfway popular I'm sure it'll face the same criticism.
ReplyDeleteFreeze Peach?
ReplyDeleteScott GrantSmith Well, with that I think you're correct.
ReplyDeleteHere's a curious question for you. Phone networks are common carriers and not responsible for content passing thru their networks. What's the general principle that makes social networks become responsible for content?
ReplyDeletePluspora, for example, doesn't get involved in the content so why should they be responsible, as long as normal TOS and laws are followed by the users?
Lots of social venues allow social activity without being held responsible for the content as long is legal, etc.
Where's the threshold of responsibility lie?
The only right-wing extremists I've encountered there are the ones I already knew from G+. I scroll past their political posts and enjoy their other posts on sci-fi and TV shows we have in common.
ReplyDeleteBill Brayman in the money they make from it.
ReplyDeleteBill Brayman When networks like Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. manipulate your newsfeed so that the audience (you and me) see what is paid for or what they think is relevant to you first instead of chronological, they are making a decision as to what you see. In my not so humble opinion, that is the point at which providers become responsible for content.
ReplyDeleteLiking Mewe. They have a nice interface, but I have some issues...
ReplyDelete1) They need more horsepower. It's pretty slow for me these days. All the other social services run fine.
2) Glitches. A friend had her account disappear, no explanations and can't recreate it.
3) Looked at the twitter page, lots of #2 there, and comments about poor (as in "none") customer service.
Free speech is a big plus. The stifling "must show kitten pics unless you're left, then anything goes" with some of the others is tiring.
Yes, it's uncensored. Yes, you can find hardcore political speech there (any wing you want.) And porn. But if your don't like that extreme alt-left group you somehow found yourself in, it's easy enough to get of the group.
Bill Brayman The responsibility lies on MeWe, since according to their TOS they are supposed to stop some of the things on their site. However, since it conflicts with potential profits and their misguided ideology, they conveniently ignore the stuff they are supposed to get rid of. They are hoping you will conveniently ignore it as well...
ReplyDeletePhones services also have wiretap laws that make it illegal for them to listen in. Social Networks and Media Sites don't have this. Mewe also isn't a "common carrier", just like Facebook isn't. Common carriers have different TOS from Social Media sites.
Greg Mee I hate the porn. MeWe's not on it's way to turning into a porn site, but it doesn't quite know what it wants to host and what it wants to be. Plus, their Twitter is a dumpster fire of villifying FB without promoting itself. Seriously, I'm not going to join MeWe because I hate Facebook, get outta here.
ReplyDeleteFrank D Right, as soon as the service provider gets involved with the feed, etc. , they take on responsibility for what goes on. But Pluspora and MeWe don't have a big role in the content. Why are they not more like a common carrier? With MeWe maybe, it is "follow the money", though i don't think they're that profit motivated. And pluspora isn't profit minded. So, there is still some other factors that keep them from being like a common carrier.
ReplyDeleteAs Gregory says, whoever is responsible for enforcing the TOS gets themselves involved, and therefore responsible.
So is that the principle - whoever has authority over proper behavior and content is responsible?
Well that's what MeWe tries to avoid. They simply abstain from that central authority role.
Gregory and others insist they take a central authority role.
I think that is slightly different than our normal regulatory approach where there are legal standards. Why is MeWe expected to control social activity not covered by legal standards? Why is nannying by the service provider required or expected by the MeWe critics?
That's the curious part.
Bill Brayman To put it quite simply, you're trying to absolve responsibility from MeWe that MeWe already vows to takes. The only thing they are avoiding is what they promised us they'd do.
ReplyDeleteim in there - use it spareingly - to me its a ghosttown cause pretty much everything is walled off behind "join" or "apply" options, which i dont like.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to see any extreme right (or left for that matter) wing carry on in my very tiny little corner of that site, although browsing groups leaves you in no doubt that they are there lurking in their own bile filled little shit-holes..
Until last week, I wouldn't really have cared too much, but now, after #Christchurch , i'm reassessing whether i want to be associated with [even in the tiniest way] a site that allows extreme hate to proliferate (even if its semi-privately) in such an unregulated manner.
I may well do what a number of other people are considering & just drop of social media altogether,
In the end, MeWe it's not Mark who decides, but its investors wanting a return on their investment.
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't follow the various Book Groups, and so may not have found out about this: PashPost (pashpost.com) has a very similar "look" to G+, and breaks down into similar-looking Groups (e.g., a book lovers' group, which is how I found out about it). I've not used it myself yet - after the G+ shutdown, I'm going to concentrate on my blog, Instagram, and work (!) before adding a new "network" - but it's the most promising-looking of the alternatives I've seen.
ReplyDeleteFilip H.F. Slagter good point. I'm thinking that Mark is bs'ing shareholders, without considering that maybe MeWe's misguided worldview is why they're on board in the first place.
ReplyDeleteSteve Vasta I hope PASHpost gets an app soon (and maybe a name change).
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing I like about it and I constantly feel like he's forcing it on people. When I looked through it, suggested communities were two gun groups and Fox News Babes. There's also a ton of communities such as not the real NYT, Lady Gaga, etc. There's a lot to be said for having the right people and not overtly soliciting anyone and everyone. They're looking to make money. Everything he says makes me like Pluspora more and appreciate how G+ opened by not forcing themselves down everyone's throat.
ReplyDeleteM Mallory And even then, G+ eventually forced itself on Google users, and that may have well been the beginning of the end.
ReplyDeleteAlso, am I going crazy? I remember seeing MeWe doing an interview on Fox Business, and instead of answering questions pertaining to the business side of MeWe, Mark spent it just talking about privacy.
Why would Mark think it would be a good idea to promote his site to an audience in a way that doesn't appeal to them? This is why I say he's inept. Or incredibly desperate for any type of traffic.
Seriously, it's like Gamestop trying to sell t-shirts. Who came here for this? I wonder if he lied his way to get a spot on Fox News.
I can't find the YouTube clip, but that was the pinnacle of his glib. If you can find the clip, please post it here. It makes my case perfectly.
Gary Gregory I agree. Initially, G+ handled it impeccably and wasn't out for everyone or anyone's money. They had enough of their own. Problems started to surface later, especially with the YouTube integration.
ReplyDeleteFox Business is interested in stocks. They would only be concerned about privacy as it relates to stock prices. Facebook had a huge password breach today, so they would report on that as it could impact the stock price. Why would he even go on there unless he was looking for more capital from conservatives?
He's way to aggressive in pushing it to anyone and it is like Gamestop selling t-shirts. My best friend who has a national health radio show interviewed him. She said I would like him since he meditates as I do, but she doesn't know anything about social media. I told her he should meditate about getting the Nazis off his site.
Gary Gregory FYI This press release is coming from Cision. They're a company that publicists use to to create media lists and they also distribute media releases. Most companies (even smaller ones) have a publicist listed as contact, not a generic email address. I'm thinking he is acting as his own publicist and/or having his employees do it.
ReplyDeleteM Mallory I too most certainly think this is the case. If so, this may just be the greatest social media she'll game in history.
ReplyDeleteOr maybe he's trying to fake it until he makes it?
Bill Brayman What's the general principle that makes social networks become responsible for content?
ReplyDeleteAmplification, recommendations, curation.
MeWe does all three.
Phones are PtP / 1:1 (mostly), not broadcast.
And there are still things that are illegal to do via phone.
Edward Morbius this is true.
ReplyDeleteAlso, consider that social media sites are not common carriers Bill Brayman.
It's erroneous to equate the two, as phone services are not like social media sites. This is apples to oranges. Social media sites don't have regulatory bodies.
Interestingly enough, MeWe's charge against Facebook is that it does what it wants. But to reign Facebook in, we would need regulations. MeWe would be under these regulations and no doubt would cry foul as it went against free speech. This also goes against his Libertarian sensibilities. So MeWe is yelling the loudest about bringing about its downfall. By criticizing Facebook, MeWe will damage itself.
Basically, MeWe is a dumpster fire with dynamite in it.
At this point, it's yet another blow to libertarian philosophy. Mark should get out the social crusader game until he has his philosophy straighten out.
But consider that the "common carrier" and "central authority" arguments don't apply, as MeWe brings it upon itself to censor some disagreeable content. MeWe doesn't abstain from the central authority, and aside from the EU, no one forced its TOS on them. Mewe's just avoiding acting on is TOS, which makes Mark's TOS a lie.
Gary Gregory Something seems off to me and I find it very unsophisticated. I'm alarmed at the way some people are drinking the proverbial Kool Aid.
ReplyDeleteThere's even a community called Fashion Models. Believe me, they wouldn't be joining a community on MeWe. It reminds of that Groucho Marx line, "I don’t want to belong to any club that would have me as a member."
Aren't they already charging extra for certain features? I remember when there was a near riot here when they gave Guy Kawasaki's book out for free.
Gary Gregory When social media sites act like broadcasters, promoting content in exchange for advertising dollars, they should be subject to the same FCC rules as TV and radio networks.
ReplyDeleteM Mallory they'll charge for cloud space (which Google Drive does for more and free) once you hit the limit. They also charge for nightmode, which is common quality of life feature for most websites. It'll only get worse, I presume. That strikes me as off too.
ReplyDeleteFrank D I'm out of the loop on Facebook, but besides ads and all the negatives MeWe brings up, but what does Facebook broadcast?
Gary Gregory Just looked at their Twitter and you are right. I think there's a little "tell" in one of the tweets. Our members are "customers" to serve. Customers???
ReplyDeleteGary Gregory Facebook pushes content. As with most social media sites, your FB timeline isn't chronological. They may not be producing the content but they're promoting it in much the same way a broadcaster does. If you tune into a daytime talkshow, for instance, you're going to be fed commercials based on who the network believes is watching the show.
ReplyDeleteGary Gregory if someone saves the nightmode CSS, you could easily offer that for free (at least for desktop browsers) for everyone through a #UserStyle browser extension. ;)
ReplyDeleteFilip H.F. Slagter You could, and I wonder if MeWe knows this? A plugin is all it takes. They are banking on services that others can replicate for free.
ReplyDeleteMeWe is cool. But MeWe is unsustainable.