reach me on station
RSS feed
gopher feed
____________
/___________ /|
| __________ | |
|| THE || |
||UNPLUGGED || |
|| WEB || |
/||____⏻_____|| |
( |____________|/\
.=================. \_
|::::::::::::: :::| |||
|:::::::::::[] :::| |_|
`-----------------'
What was once a place of exploration, creativity, and connection, has been reshaped over the last few years by a handful of massive corporations into a centralized, revenue-driven, highly controlled and privacy devoid space.
Ok, let's stop here for a second. This looks like a good start to me, but some of you may ask: are you sure you're not exaggerating? Is this really that much of an issue or you're dramatizing the whole thing? After all, content creation today is easier than it's ever been, and reaching others is just a click/swipe/like away.
One could even argue that mainstream social media platforms (X, TikTok, Instagram, etc.) are actually very useful tools that provide anyone the chance to be heard, to show themselves and interact with the whole world, in a very much democratic way.
But is it actually true?
Let's start with a fact: when you join a social media platform, you're basically "renting" a small space for your content. And that in itself is not a bad thing: not everyone has the technical knowledge required to set up a "web corner" for themselves (be it a blog, a website, a video channel...), so having someone do that for you is handy. The key word here however is - renting - and since you're not paying with actual money to use social media, there's got to be something else going on.
If you’re not paying for it, you’re not the customer; you’re the product being sold.
I know this is not the most original of quotes, I'll give you that. But it's true nonetheless.
In exchange for visibility you're giving up your privacy and your time (the most valuable resource in your possession), plus you're willingly becoming another small cog in a huge monetization machine that will use your efforts to generate more revenue and hook up other users.
The "views" and "likes" you accumulate aren't just vanity numbers to be displayed; they fuel engagement and profit for the platform. Since you're just a tenant, and not the owner of the place, you don't make the rules: the mighty algorithm does that. In the end, it turns out "your space" isn't yours at all, because the company who owns it has the final say.
On the small web, however, the paradigm shifts. I own this space. Content creation becomes a deliberate act, a conscious choice that allows me to have high-quality interactions with other like-minded people that share my interests, without being trapped in the profit-driven logic of mainstream social media. Each conversation has the potential to add quality to my life. Can you say the same about binge-watching Instagram stories of people you barely know?
On the small web, there are no algorithmic Gods deciding what's right for you, or if your content is worthy of being shown to other people (or of being shadow-banned into oblivion) and your privacy is sacred, just as it should be.
Where the mainstream platforms promote quantity, the small web rewards quality. All the interactions that happen in this small corner of the net, aren't driven by the constant search for approval in the form of likes and comments, but instead by a deep shared desire to grow, dive deeper and engage with true purpose.
Who cares about giving away hours of your time in the hope of reaching the highest number of people, when you can much more easily reach the few right ones?
I'd like to, once again, quote spring’s phlog:
On the Large Internet, communication is ubiquitous, but conversation is a radical act.
If you long for a more human way of interacting online, it might be time to reconsider where and how you share the things you want to say. The small web offers a space where you can truly own your voice, your privacy, and your digital footprint. And in doing so, you might just find a deeper connection to both the web and the people who matter most to you.