Facebook is absolutely cooked
A former Facebook user recounts a shocking return to a feed dominated by AI-generated 'thirst traps' and low-effort engagement bait, highlighting the platform's dramatic decline in quality. The story resonates deeply with Hacker News readers who criticize social media's algorithmic decay and the prevalence of synthetic content. It sparks a broader discussion on the 'enshittification' of online platforms and the elusive nature of genuine digital connection.
The Lowdown
The author, returning to Facebook after an ~8-year hiatus, expected to find a community group but instead stumbled upon a dystopian feed. Their main page, once a hub for friends and followed pages, was now overrun by AI-generated images of young women, generic captions, and other engagement-driven content.
- The feed was saturated with 'thirst traps' and AI-generated videos, including one of a policeman bringing a new bike to a child, and low-quality memes about relationships.
- Meta's AI-suggested questions, like "why do women feel refreshed after arguments?" or "What is the woman's personality?" for a photo of a woman in pink heels, further exemplified the platform's algorithmic turn towards engagement bait.
- The author noted the difficulty in distinguishing real from AI-generated content, with comment sections often filled with superficial remarks, possibly from bots themselves.
- The experience raised questions about whether this was a personal algorithmic anomaly for an inactive user or a widespread issue, concluding that the platform's content had devolved to a disturbing degree, exemplified by encountering AI-generated images of seemingly underage girls.
Ultimately, the author reaffirmed their decision to abandon Facebook, reserving its use only for inescapable necessities like school updates, reflecting a broader disillusionment with the platform's current state.
The Gossip
Algorithmic Abyss & The Cold Start Conundrum
Many commenters echoed the author's experience, confirming that Facebook's algorithm delivers a feed filled with low-quality, AI-generated content and 'thirst traps,' especially for inactive or male-identified users. The consensus is that without active curation and interaction, the algorithm defaults to the lowest common denominator, treating dormant accounts as a 'cold start' problem that leads to this 'slop conveyor belt.' Conversely, actively managed and frequently used accounts reportedly yield a more tailored, if not always ideal, experience, suggesting a stark divide between user types.
Functional Forte: Groups and Marketplace's Resilience
Despite the dismal state of the main feed, a significant portion of the discussion centered on Facebook's continued utility through its 'Groups' and 'Marketplace' features. Many users, including the author, rely on these specific functionalities for local community interaction, classifieds, and niche interests, often going to great lengths (like using browser extensions or burner accounts) to avoid the main feed. This highlights a dichotomy where the core social feed has deteriorated, but specialized tools within the platform remain indispensable for some.
Enshittification Epidemic: AI's Grip on the Internet
The conversation quickly broadened beyond Facebook, with commenters lamenting that AI-generated content, spam, and 'rage bait' are pervasive across all major social media platforms, from Instagram and Reddit to YouTube. This widespread 'enshittification' is seen as an intentional strategy to maximize engagement, often at the expense of genuine human connection and quality content. Some argue that AI content, even if clearly fake, is sufficiently 'engaging' for a significant portion of users, leading to the chilling conclusion that 'the Internet has been lost to AI.'
Global Gateway vs. Western Woes
Several commenters offered a nuanced perspective on Facebook's decline, pointing out that while it may be 'cooked' for Western, tech-savvy users, it remains a vital, even primary, communication and information platform in many parts of the world, such as the Philippines. This global disparity underscores how perceptions of Facebook's health vary drastically based on geographic and demographic usage patterns, with some observing that AI-generated content is highly tailored even for older demographics in these regions.