Author Topic: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:  (Read 9883 times)

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #30 on: May 11, 2018, 10:53:29 AM »
I agree so much! I am going to work harder at sharing work here on Flourish instead. I think I have noticed in general, not just Insta or FB, that people are not sharing as much. (Or maybe it's because I have scaled back my time I don't see it as much?...)

Regarding the searching, I switched to Duck, Duck Go for that very reason. But the ads are in relation to conversations we have had, not things I have searched. For example, two days ago I was putting everything back in my now complete studio and I dropped my Canon printer on its front while putting it down. I kept getting an error message. My husband walked in and I told him about it. Ten minutes later, I sat down to take a break and looked at Insta... first ad was for a Canon printer.

Last week I mentioned to my daughter I thought I might start wearing lipstick again. First ad going on Insta - not just lipstick - but a course for choosing lipstick, how to wear it, what's the right color, etc.

Our next door neighbors built a GIANT treehouse in their backyard and we were discussing our HOA rules. Ad on Insta - Overstock with a giant kids' playhouse.

Too many to mention them all and too many to make it random OR ... I am the most in-sync person in the universe. Which ... I am a lot of the time but...  ;D
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline AnasaziWrites

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #31 on: May 11, 2018, 11:40:09 AM »

Too many to mention them all and too many to make it random OR ... I am the most in-sync person in the universe. Which ... I am a lot of the time but...  ;D
@Erica McPhee
Way too freaky. How is insta getting this info or hearing these conversations? Do you have Siri or Alexa in the house? Or does IG also listen in?

Offline Bianca M

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #32 on: May 11, 2018, 11:54:34 AM »
I listened to a Reply All podcast episode about this very thing - ads popping up that are related to what a person had discussed.  The conclusion was that Facebook and Instagram aren't really listening, but trying to convince people otherwise is pretty tough.  I'm not even sure I bought it.  I think you can turn off the app's access to the microphone.

Offline Jamie

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #33 on: May 11, 2018, 04:13:14 PM »
Erica do you own a smart tv in the room where you have these conversations? Samsung specifically I know makes a tv that WILL listen in on your conversations for marketing info. It’s likely Alexa and the like do that too, but you don’t expect it as much from your smart TVs.

Offline Estefa

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #34 on: May 12, 2018, 05:04:57 AM »
Thanks first to everybody who contributed already to this thread :)! I try to answer to some of your points …

I have maintained a really finely curated feed of calligraphers, lettering artists and few more, and I've actively chosen to follow those people - now why am I not seeing those in my feed?!
That's really strange. I still do see posts from people I follow.

That's infuriating IMO. Instead I get 'suggested posts' from people I don't follow to clutter my feed.
Yes, these I get too. Horribly annoying.

I would go so far as to being willing to buy chronological feed as a subscription, as long as it gives me everything.
Totally agree with that! Also I would pay not to get ads. They started creeping into my feed only some days ago  >:(

In regards to stories, as I said one can totally just ignore those, I check them occationally. What is really positive with stories though is that I follow several highly qualified calligraphers and they actually do live sessions with practice or explain inks or whatnot. A wealth of info.
The annoying thing for me is that I can't ignore them – I also get these pics in my feed »Suggested stories« or like that. I must admit I rarely check them, even if there might be something valuable from time to time … I even post some from time to time – usually stuff that hasn't anything to do with calligraphy  ;D

And... I see an ad every 7 posts!!!!!
As I said, that started some days ago. I also hate it. I understand their business model – but still I'd prefer to pay for the service in order not to get ads. Also I wonder why it took so long until I started getting ads.

And ... my phone spies on me and the ads are ALWAYS something I have just been talking about (way too specific to be random). And FB/Insta should know, I used to click on the ads on Insta all the time because there were some neat things. (Have never clicked one on FB.) Now I refuse to click on one out of spite. LOL!  ;D
That (and what you wrote later in more detail about the spying is really, really creepy, @Erica McPhee ! Have you tried what happens if you turn off your microphone for the specific apps? Or if you keep the phone in another room … do these subjects then don't pop up in your feed? I must admit I did some reading regarding that subject – I have kids that will probably use some day social media and I want to know exactly what to expect. Here's one of many articles regarding that subject. (I also have the »selfie« camera on my phone taped over since ages, probably also a bit paranoid …)

It's getting really old. I'm sad about it, too, because I LOVED Insta. But it's annoying to have to search everyone's names to see most recent posts.
Then we're getting old together  ;D!

The old adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" should have been followed there.
Totally agree there!

Regarding the searching, I switched to Duck, Duck Go for that very reason.
Yes me too … works just fine, as far as I can tell!
Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram

Offline Estefa

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #35 on: May 12, 2018, 05:16:31 AM »
My complaint is that I find the focus of the photos posted are often now more about looking pretty than emphasizing the actual work. I assume this is a marketing strategy to draw in followers. And I get that, but I get frustrated because I don’t care about the pretty surrounding the calligraphy. I want to see pretty calligraphy!
I know what you mean, @Starlee ! I try to post pics that really show my writing, but still are good pictures in themselves … as someone who finds fotography hard, that's not easy  ;) … but pics that are more about ribbons and flowers might be nice to look at, but it's sometimes hard to get a real look at the actual writing!

I think I've exhausted the internet as a resource because  Google controls our searches too much, and spits out what it thinks we want. The search results are not unbiased, nor are they complete. I really dislike that about internet.
I must say that I still find lots of useful information. Especially if I think back to when I started having an interest in pointed pen calligraphy and there was just practically nothing at all! Not in my local library, not in my book store, and also not on the internet. There are so many digitized historical alphabets out there, I feel more overwhelmed by the amount there is that I think I cannot learn and study all that in my lifetime!
« Last Edit: May 12, 2018, 05:19:55 AM by Estefa »
Stefanie :: Website :: Blog :: Instagram

Offline AmyNeub

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #36 on: May 12, 2018, 08:44:05 AM »
Erica do you own a smart tv in the room where you have these conversations? Samsung specifically I know makes a tv that WILL listen in on your conversations for marketing info. It’s likely Alexa and the like do that too, but you don’t expect it as much from your smart TVs.

Yes, my TV does. I heard Siri does too, so I turned her off from my handhelds. Here's a story. My sister-in-law just had a baby, and we were texting on WhatsApp. Somehow they get your info too, because all my old instagram ads for yoga clothes have now turned into baby clothes.

It's creepy for me because I grew up without computers/cell phones. I asked my students (9th grade) about privacy and they didn't seem to care. I guess maybe it's generational. It's as if our smart devices do not think we can shop for our dumb selves.

So, Instagram (if you are reading this) please bring back chronological order in my feed and I can handle the ads you stick in there.

Offline Ken Fraser

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #37 on: September 23, 2018, 10:02:32 AM »
but I get frustrated because I don’t care about the pretty surrounding the calligraphy. I want to see pretty calligraphy!

but pics that are more about ribbons and flowers might be nice to look at, but it's sometimes hard to get a real look at the actual writing!

I agree, totally.  This is one of my favourite quotes -

"A good piece of penmanship is its own best ornament"  -  Ambrose Serle

« Last Edit: September 24, 2018, 03:26:10 AM by Ken Fraser »

Offline Ken Fraser

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #38 on: September 23, 2018, 10:21:11 AM »
With regards to the original point -

I use Instagram all the time and have amassed a  collection of those whose writing I admire. It's like looking through a magazine of ever-changing beautiful work on a daily basis. I occasionally comment briefly and receive similar feedback on my own extensive "page"  To me, the object is primarily visual and I derive great pleasure from viewing it regularly. As one, who has no direct contact with other calligraphers, it a real lifeline. Long may it and "The Flourish Forum" flourish!.

http://instagram.com/fraser.ken
« Last Edit: September 23, 2018, 10:32:38 AM by Ken Fraser »

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #39 on: September 24, 2018, 12:01:30 AM »
Yes @Jamie  - we bought a new “smart tv” and it’s become ridiculous. I was going to make a recipe last week and it called for Fish Sauce. I mentioned to my husband I had never seen Fish Sauce before. Sure enough, first ad on Insta - for Fish Sauce. Seriously ... For. Fish. Sauce. No one advertises Fish Sauce randomly!!!  :o

I have permissions for audio turned off on Insta.

I am now at an ad every 3 to 5 posts! Three. To. Five! It’s absurd. I barely go on now. So frustrating. And really a bummer. :-\
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline SueL

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #40 on: September 25, 2018, 01:37:39 AM »
An ad for fish sauce sure doesn't sound random, Erica.

Have you ever had the experience of following someone you would never have followed? It's happened to me a couple of times. They come up on my feed as people I follow. I check their account and it's completely irrelevant to me and I would never have followed them out of my own volition. It's happened more than a few times, so I don't think I mistakenly added them.

Offline Jamie

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #41 on: September 25, 2018, 11:49:55 AM »
@SueL I’ve had that happen! I thiiink that it means you’ve been hacked and are being used as a spam account. You should probably change your password.

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #42 on: September 25, 2018, 05:43:59 PM »

Have you ever had the experience of following someone you would never have followed? It's happened to me a couple of times.

YESSSS @SueL ! That just happened to me! I saw the post and I thought to myself, why am I seeing this person's post. Then I checked their feed and no calligraphy at all... nope - never followed.  ;)
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline himasf

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #43 on: September 25, 2018, 10:07:49 PM »

Have you ever had the experience of following someone you would never have followed? It's happened to me a couple of times.

YESSSS @SueL ! That just happened to me! I saw the post and I thought to myself, why am I seeing this person's post. Then I checked their feed and no calligraphy at all... nope - never followed.  ;)

I feel like this all the time when I look at Stories  ;D thank god for the mute function  ;)

Offline Ergative

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Re: I don't like Instagram very much any more, and here's why:
« Reply #44 on: September 26, 2018, 04:24:25 AM »
Because I don't have a smart phone, my experience has been very different. I don't use the instagram app; rather, I interact solely through the website on my computer browser. I have an adblocker (ublock Origin) which means I never see any ads, and I have a user-agent switcher, which fools the IG website into thinking that I'm accessing them through a mobile device browser, so I can upload pictures directly from my computer.

The downsides, of course, are that I must transfer images to my computer before I can upload them (no snap & post), and I can't upload multiple images or videos. But I've really been enjoying the ad-free experience, and the pictures I get on my feed are larger than they would be through a phone screen.
Clara