Escape from Walled Gardens with RSS (Elfeed)
The article advocates for RSS as a user-controlled alternative to social media, addressing content discovery challenges and recommending Elfeed for its customization and Emacs integration.
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The article discusses the advantages of using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) as an alternative to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which are described as "walled gardens" that limit user control over content. The author shares a personal aversion to these platforms, emphasizing their focus on engagement and data harvesting. Taliesyn Walker's insights highlight how RSS allows users to curate their own content without interference from algorithms. The article acknowledges a common criticism of RSS regarding content discovery but points out various methods to overcome this challenge, including following YouTube feeds without subscribing. The author also recommends Elfeed as an effective RSS reader, noting its customization options and integration with Emacs, a popular text editor. The piece concludes by encouraging readers to explore Walker's post for further insights on utilizing RSS effectively.
- RSS offers greater control over content compared to social media platforms.
- The article highlights the issue of content discovery in RSS and provides solutions.
- Elfeed is recommended as a top RSS reader for its customization and Emacs integration.
- The discussion reflects a growing interest in alternatives to mainstream social media.
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1 commentsRelated
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Cory Doctorow advocates for using RSS readers to improve online privacy and control, arguing that collective action is needed to combat systemic issues caused by major platforms and their algorithms.
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