Anectodal, but most people don't use the internet for other thing other than social media

[FernandoRocker]

Call me a stalker, but I always try to take a quick look at what other people is doing in their phones on the street (just a quick half second glance).

I can in the line on the store to pay something, and the hair cut place, cinema... And 99% are using their phones for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp.

I never see anyone just browsing the web. Not even Reddit or some other popular forum (like Era 🤭).

What a waste of technology.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

I won't go to wikipedia, or do research on the street, IG is a nice timewaster when waiting for the subway or whatever. So is Era, but comparatively we are a niche site.

 

[Tbm24]

Honestly don't see how just randomly browsing the web on your phone is objectively a better use of your time than social media, of which, majority of people are casually browsing on.

WhatsApp is direct communication so I'm not sure what your objections here are. Cell phone technology primary use right there.

 

[LastCaress]

There's porn.

 

[Akira86]

i would say most people see no active use for the internet beyond social media

 

[Deleted member 12790]

alternatively, perhaps people only use the internet for social media when they are out and about? Like, why would you not use social media on your portable device, when being social IRL? The non-social media stuff I use the internet for, like research, isn't well suited for reading on a phone in a movie line.

 

[Hyun Sai]

I'm mostly browsing the web at home as 99% of mobile sites are dog shit compared to their desktop version.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

Stop creeping on people you creep

 

[Razor Mom]

I use it to read about dinosaurs and chocolate bar companies.

 

[Joni]

Well yeah, there aren't a lot of billion user websites. Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are some of the few ones.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Also, forums like Reddit and Era are also social media.

 

[Johnny Blaze]

I'm mostly browsing the web at home as 99% of mobile sites are dog shit compared to their desktop version.

Click to shrink...

Also this.

Mobile websites are absolute garbage. If it's not a google amp link or something from the Google News app I try and avoid a mobile site like the plague.

 

[Deleted member 1635]

Just realize that a lot of these people wouldn't be doing anything with the Internet at all if social media didn't exist.

 

[konka]

Amazon and Netflix say otherwise....

 

[Ahhthe90s]

For most people Social Media platforms *are* the internet.

 

[Freakzilla]

If you see me on my phone whether home or out I'm usually on Era, Reddit, wiki, some other forums, or just looking for info.

 

[InspectaDekka]

I like asking people upfront as to why they're looking at hentai on their IG on the train or bus.

 

[Dan]

Online retailers and media streaming companies billions in profit says otherwise.

 

[Joni]

Amazon and Netflix say otherwise....

Click to shrink...

There is about 2 billion Facebook users more than people that have shopped on Amazon. Aside from people doing their shopping more at home, the number of people using Facebook is just astronomically bigger, considering there are an estimated 4 billion internet users.

 

[lunarworks]

It's not like the old days, when individual people made interesting websites that were worth visiting.

 

[Lusamine]

Bruh, I'm not gunna be looking at porn in public.

 

[Deleted member 16908]

A N E C T O D A L . . . ?

 

[FRANKEINSTEIN]

Because watching porn in public is frowned upon.

 

[nel e nel]

You are correct, this is anecdotal.

 

[Seirith]

I look at Era on my phone but I mostly use eBay or Facebook. I am not usually at places and using my phone long enough to read an Era thread, unless I am using it on my couch at home.

 

[Joni]

 

[Fright Zone]

True, I agree that if I do happen to glance at someone else's phone in public, it's always FB/Insta/WhatsApp, but those are the only things I really look at on my commute too.
I spend more time on Era and other sites, but only at home and work on my desktop and iPad.

 

[Walter White Walker]

I've only used by phone for social media a handful of times. Otherwise I'm browsing Era, reading the news, or looking up sports info.

 

[HeySeuss]

Going by the actual definition of social media, this site falls into that category as well, as do many websites on the internet. But more and more the term social media is used to describe Facebook and the like

 

[Book One]

What makes reddit or a forum any less 'wasteful' than a social media platform or a messenger?

 

[HeySeuss]

What makes reddit or a forum any less 'wasteful' than a social media platform or a messenger?

Click to shrink...

Those are both technically social media platforms. Any medium that allows you to engage other users in conversation or to share ideas is social media

 

[Book One]

Those are both technically social media platforms. Any medium that allows you to engage other users in conversation or to share ideas is social media

Click to shrink...

Essentially, yes, which is why I asked.

 

[BLEEN]

I'm 80% reading and learning new things on the 'net. Don't see the point in paying for knowledge in 2019 lol 20% maybe emailing or chatting thru Gmail. Got rid of Facebook unless a client messages me, only reason it's still active. But I have noticed the same, OP.

Edit* Also been active on Nextdoor. Good way to make money locally.

 

[Deleted member 46493]

If I'm on the street, shopping, or the train I'm going to be looking at directions or taking 5 mins to check social media or Era (yes, Era is social media, so is reddit).

What am I supposed to be browsing instead OP? Not gonna read a whole Wikipedia article in the grocery store line. I do that at home or in the office. I bet you also only look at max 5 websites/apps too.