I use mostly X/twitter these days, but was on Facebook pre-Covid. I don’t use any other social media apps. I predominately use social media as my source of news/current affairs as I don’t trust the stuff coming out of mainstream media. I just wanted to gauge whether the views on SF are left/right leaning based on social media usage. Based on my limited use of this platform, could be premature to say this, I conclude that the views on this platform are rather diverse and folks are very respectful unlike X/twitter. If you were to ask me, I’m center right on my political views… Would it be fair to say left leaning folks predominately use Facebook and right leaning X/Twitter? If X/Twitter wasn’t purchased by Musk, think we would all be left leaning and fearful to express right leaning views ?
It’s so difficult to find content on Facebook that isn’t an advert or a suggestion, that it’s hard to identify a political bias.
Thanks for answering - it was starting to look a little odd, with you asking the question but then not replying or commenting further.
This and many other forums are very different from Facebook, Xitter etc, in that there is considerable mutual care for each others welfare, a desire to see each other do well and to provide help & information. With a small number of exceptions, people here are polite and considerate of the feelings of other users. There are also quite a number of highly skilled individuals who often stay quiet about their talents and abilities.
Politically, users cover much of the spectrum, with no-one really at either extreme, and with a general centre-left bias overall. Most here have intentionally adapted to their country of residence, rather than being expats living abroad.
Probably not.
Both are designed to be echo chambers, where the views you show interest in will be increasingly reflected back at you. They have no interest in accuracy, truth or reliability of information, being optimised to engage and hold the user in order to show them more advertising and make money. For these reasons they cannot be considered useful primary sources of news, and will be far less reliable than a sometimes biased BBC or Al Jazeera etc.
Sorry was tied up with daily life, so didn’t reply in timely manner…
Funny, I’ve never bought a single thing on X/Twitter, but have on FB in the past… so the go-to news source is non-US based news networks? I certainly don’t trust anything coming out of CBC/CTV in Canada… now they are turning on Trudeau so maybe they will be somewhat more reliable… lol
I guess the local French are more centre left leaning in general?
@Mark, what’s your go-to source for current affairs/news ?
I doubt any sensible person has a single source of information. I certainly wouldn’t rely on social media, because that is almost always a source of misinformation because of its nature and the absence of any reliable regulation.
At least mainstream sources (newspapers, television, radio, news organisations) can be cross-checked. They all have their biases, conscious or unconscious, but with cross-checking they are easier to spot.
As for social media, it’s like asking which sewer I’d rather swim in.
I find that intriguing as every time I dip my toes into social media I find the information highly suspect, with little cross-referencing or reliable background. So it’s little more than just opinion from people who may be questionable. Unless of course you mean you follow specific reputable journalists? I do that, so articles written by Carole Cadwallader I will read for example.
I also check myself using resources such as https://fullfact.org/
Or the american Our Mission - FactCheck.org Although I have got to the point where I am starting to blank out the very existence of America and Americans to protect my mental health.
Does reputable journalist always equate to someone telling the truth? fullfact.org looks like it’s pretty much funded by google, not credible in my view; factcheck.org seems more independent, more trustworthy… yes, i agree lots of misinformation on social media, but in X/Twitter, at least there is community notes to call out the garbage. I’m seeing more lefty views and opinions and find that to be great! At end of day, truth only comes out through rigorous debate and finding a common ground.
Btw, why the distaste for the US/Americans?
doesn’t social media take most of it’s news sources from the mainstream or independent media? the sewer analogy is somewhat unfair… social media is great source to consume news for folks who don’t have much time due to daily work/life commitments.
Do you really need to ask? (Oh and I lived in the State for 2 years so wasn’t always of this view).
In my case their support of the genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing in the West Bank. However the war in Iraq and the total mess they have created in the M/E (and elsewhere) ruining millions and millions of lives is also a factor 
I’ve nothing against Americans as such, I worked all my life with them and have many friends and ex colleagues who are American. There are many fine aspects to the US but their foreign policy over decades, really since the Wall came down, has soured my opinion. Hopefully a Harris/Waltz administration will start to repair some of the damage.
Agreed. The last true president Kennedy has his name on the streets of Paris, the days American leaders were respected. I find it surprising the deceptive leaders of America (ie. Clinton/Bush/Obama/Biden) have justified wars under their belt, but none under Trump. It seems these leaders are nothing more than puppets for the military industrial complex, so why keep voting them in if we all want to prevent the genocide in Gaza and other wars. I do believe the Ukraine war was avoidable, but that option was not chosen by the folks in power. If world peace is truly the objective, then a traditional politician is not the answer IMO.
I couldn’t agree more.
I use the bbc website as a lot of their info is verified, and if on tv, C4 news. This (SF) is as close to social media as I get.
Rather late to this thread, don’t know how I missed it but, if anyone is still interested, I use FB only for messaging family and friends but prefer emails, especially as recently Meta has started erasing fairly recent posts.
Two lorry driver sites, the UK one was the largest in the world but almost died 18 months ago and then resurrected with a different design and 90% of the membership missing. Of those left, almost all of them are far right Palestinian haters and Trump lovers. I limit my replies to suitable piss takes these days. The other is a US one where I went when the UK one was dying. Everybody is polite and there are no politics, as a result I am guessing it is very strictly moderated. They seem to like my European take on the job. 
Nothing else, mainly because I won’t give pocket room to a smartphone which seems to be the only way some of these sites can operate on. From all I hear about them, I am pleased about that. 