Poisoned Well

[Alty]

http://phys.org/news/2012-09-gordon-supercomputer-million-person-facebook.html

I was inching toward it anyway, but this confirmed my desire to deactivate my facebook. It's been a few weeks now, and speaking as someone who first got online in 2007, as someone who has used social networks heavily in that time, and as A MOTHER, I don't miss it even a little bit.

True, low maintenance trolling is a fun time had by all. But I find I have more mental energy for fucking with people IRL. Also, developing better meat-based interpersonal relationships. But that's just me. I thought you all might find this interesting, or maybe one of you can rip these findings to shreds or offer some perspective.

[Freeky Queen of DERP]

That's....


That's something, all right.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Now I know how to suicide my account. 

[M. Nigel Salt]

I dunno man, I see it all as that much more opportunity.

[Cain]

I believe data gleaned from Facebook has shown that people are more likely to play a game if it has the name "-ville" on the end.  Hence Farmville, etc

What is really interesting is that the real world impact of playing Farmville and getting the vote out are roughly the same.

[LMNO, PhD (life continues)]

What is really interesting is that the real world impact of playing Farmville and getting the vote out are roughly the same.

 



Incidentally, has anyone looked at the potential ethical problems in doing experiments like this, without the users' consent?  It's not in the FaceBook TOS, and they're potentially changing your behavior by pushing out altered signals.