Ask HN: How would your life change if Facebook/Twitter disappeared?

7 points by praulv 8 years ago | 18 comments

Thinking about the big tech giants, it's quite obvious the world would pretty much fall apart if Google disappeared overnight. On the other hand, I wouldn't lose anything if Facebook/Twitter were to meet the same fate. We then have the likes of Netflix/Amazon/Uber who provide useful "convenience luxuries" but nothing life changing in my opinion. Curious to get the HN perspective on this, specifically, a view on the company valuation in the context of obsolescence.

CM30 8 years ago |

I wouldn't lose anything if Facebook disappeared, since I don't use the site all that much.

As for Twitter? Well that'd be a bit more of an issue, though I'd probably move to a competing service like Mastodon/GNU Social or Gab.

Still, I'm not exactly a social media addict, so I guess it'd be more interesting to hear what'd change for those.

yesenadam 8 years ago |

If FB suddenly disappeared, I'd lose almost all my good friends and acquaintances. And it would be hard or impossible to find them all again; they're scattered around the globe, mostly FB is the only contact point I've needed/had, dont have their phone, email or address. I should get that info, huh. On FB I almost exclusively just chat with friends.

Never used Twitter or wanted to.

ps Why would the world fall apart if Google disappeared? It's not obvious to me.

eminkel 8 years ago | |

Most people don't know how to use the internet without Google.

I'm sure many industries are supported with the likes of "Just Google it"

zzzzzzzza 8 years ago | | |

actually, while you could replace google search with bing or duck duck go, what would really destroy the world is the sudden absence of gmail/google docs/android updates/youtube, all of those things could be replaced, but it would take more time...

muzani 8 years ago |

They're a great source of news. I just activated my Twitter after a decade or so of avoiding it.

Malaysia in particular is vulnerable to propaganda, because political parties own all the major free channels and newspapers. Social media has helped balance it. While the government has blocked Medium, places like Facebook and Twitter bring world news to the masses, including any stories like local corruption that a news site like WSJ would investigate but none of the local ones could.

Also about 80% of my jobs come from Facebook connections, so it is very valuable to me.

If both of those went down, we'd probably move to Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest. I think those sites are even worse for society.

mechhrt 8 years ago |

I have a lot of Facebook friends that I would completely lose touch with, because I have no backup contact info. If I knew ahead of time that Facebook was going away, I could procure a backup method but if Facebook just disappeared one day, I would have little chance of contacting a number of acquaintances and former colleagues. In the past, I probably would have had a Rolodex, a collection of business cards or even a local phone book to fall back on, but Facebook has pretty much replaced all of that. Even though I have mainly stopped browsing timelines, this is the main value of Fb now for me.

mechhrt 8 years ago | |

Twitter does not have this type of value for me - it could mainly be replaced by RSS aggregation and/or (micro-)blogging by "influencers"

praulv 8 years ago | |

Really? I have almost everyone on LinkedIn which is to be expected once you've graduated.

seattle_spring 8 years ago | | |

Seems like only my lawyer or software friends are on LinkedIn.

twobyfour 8 years ago |

FB: my friends would probably return to using email instead of FB (which I avoid for a number of reasons) to organize events and announce life changes like births and marriages. I'd be back in the loop. This would be a good thing.

Twitter: no effect whatsoever.

eecks 8 years ago |

I would lose contact with some people on FB. I haven't posted in about 5 years so I don't think I would really miss it. I'd like some warning so I could get some contacts out of it first before it closes

matt_the_bass 8 years ago |

I'm Facebook and Twitter free. Ironically HN is the most social media-y you get.

psyc 8 years ago |

Facebook: no change.

Twitter: I think I'd lose access to a lot of real-name graphics/game programmers who I like casually interacting and sharing with. On the other hand, I'd be spared their frequent overbearing political opinions.

hkmurakami 8 years ago |

It would make it basically impossible for me to know what my overseas and East Coast friends have been up to in their lives.

I don't get my news or amateur opinions from social networks so it doesn't affect me there.

zapperdapper 8 years ago |

I don't use FB, Twitter or any other social media so nothing would change there.

I do use Netflix though - ad-free entertainment for less than £8 a month - bargain!

nostromo123 8 years ago |

Not using them or any similar services, so I wouldn't care if they disappeared overnight.

ixacto 8 years ago |

It would not change at all, I don't use them...

fishmeat 8 years ago |

I don't use those.