As an artist and designer, I have to use various social media platforms to share and promote my work. It takes a lot of energy to maintain several accounts not only because it takes time to open up each app or websites, write text and attach files but also because these platforms are carefully and intentionally designed to entice users into spending (or wasting) as much time as possible. If you are like me, this is not news. Often times, I open an app to upload a new post, and before I know it, I have already spent a half hour mindlessly scrolling. Worse, they force-feed you things you are not interested in only because it benefits their bottom line. They are full of controversy, anger, frustration, jealousy, FOMO interspersed with a quick dopamine hit. The only thing these platforms care about is that you spend more time in their apps. For example, Instagram still doesn’t let you include a clickable URL because they don’t want anyone to leave the app.
You also have to play by their rules. Their algorithm decides which posts get boosted and that has a real consequence to artists, designers and small businesses. If you are only connecting with your close friends, then this may not be a big issue but if you have to use them for your business, it’s an emotionally draining experience most of the time. As much as furstrating the experience is, I cannot avoid using it. We invest our time in planning, curating, posting and managing these accounts hoping to get exposure and some returns. Then, suddenly, they change their recommendation algorithm or even remove your account. I have a bitter experience of my Instagram account with over ten thousand followers removed without any clear reason and that ruined my online network and freelance business. Over the years, I learned that they own everything and it’s no use trying to build my own space on these platforms or optimize my work for them when I have no control.
It’s a game that I can never win but I don’t have much choice but playing it. So, at least to feel a little better, I have been trying to be passive in my social media use. I have tried muting words and turning off notifications. I removed the apps from my phone and only accessed using the web interface. I tried to only look at a few posts quickly and leave the apps.
Continuing that effort, I created a tool called Posting, with which I schedule and automate social media postings on multiple platforms at once via terminal interface. As much as the platforms take all the power, there is a tiny opening called a free developer API or Application Programming Interface. It is a way to directly connect to the platforms without going through their user interface. I am using each platform’s free API to automate postings in advance and reduce my screen time.
By scheduling in advance and not having to deal with whatever the algorithms decide to shove in my face, I have been feeling better. By delegating scheduling and posting tasks to my app, I have been less distracted by social media during the day. I now tend to forget that I have uploaded a new post and thus, check the apps less often as a result. I can still check in from time to time to see other people’s posts or reply to a comment when I want to.
I know it is a false sense of control as the free API access can be revoked or removed at any time. Twitter recently scaled the free API down to almost zero other than writing posts. Meta API, which I used for the first time for this project, is just frustrating to work with. It has incomplete, wrong or missing details as it doesn’t serve their interests to give any power to third-party developers who use their data. In contrast, Mastodon API was a breeze to use. Their source of income is solely on user supporters. They don’t serve ads. By design, they cannot control the entire network. Bluesky that doesn’t seem to have many users at this time, is also taking a decentralized approach and the API was open to use.
I am hoping more people will move to decentralized platforms like Mastodon in the near future, which, although it has its own problems, I believe is a much better option than centralized ones such as Meta or Twitter. Just look at the track records. As a user and a developer, I hope for a future where I can have more control over my digital life and work. Until then, and until the platforms cut off my access to these free APIs, I will enjoy a tiny bit of control over my social media use with my app.
Related: I was reading Radical Technologies and Filterworld before and during the program development. Highly recommended.