12 votes

Signal messenger introduces stories

12 comments

  1. [8]
    kfwyre
    Link
    I promise this is real: can someone explain stories to me? What they’re used for and why? This is a genuine question, not an implicit judgment of stories or anyone who uses them. I left social...

    I promise this is real: can someone explain stories to me? What they’re used for and why? This is a genuine question, not an implicit judgment of stories or anyone who uses them.

    I left social media well before they became a thing, so I’m genuinely out of touch as to what their purpose is. The blog post kind of explains it, but it reads a bit like marketing-speak to me. Can someone give me the down-to-earth perspective? For those that use stories, what do they look like in your day-to-day life?

    7 votes
    1. kari
      Link Parent
      I’m 23. I post maybe 1 or 2 Instagram stories a month of things like a picture of a concert or my girlfriend and me on a date. A lot of my friends post more often and it’s things like collages...

      I’m 23. I post maybe 1 or 2 Instagram stories a month of things like a picture of a concert or my girlfriend and me on a date. A lot of my friends post more often and it’s things like collages with happy birthday messages, pictures of stuff they’re doing, pets being cute, that sort of stuff. Signal seems like a weird place to have them, though.

      8 votes
    2. stu2b50
      Link Parent
      It’s like a more lowkey way to communicate things in your life. If do something cool, but just mildly cool, in the day, it’s a bit extra to actually like send it to people. Or in any case that’s...

      It’s like a more lowkey way to communicate things in your life. If do something cool, but just mildly cool, in the day, it’s a bit extra to actually like send it to people. Or in any case that’s something you have to think about.

      With stories, there’s none of that presumption - you post it on this location, and hey, if anyone wants to look through it they can.

      Basically it tends to be lower stakes from a posting anxiety pov.

      7 votes
    3. BlindCarpenter
      Link Parent
      I think its for when you want to brag about something but it would be awkward to send that message/video to one person in particular

      I think its for when you want to brag about something but it would be awkward to send that message/video to one person in particular

      6 votes
    4. elcuello
      Link Parent
      If you want to post/show something to a lot of people that goes away after a little while. Like a moment in time. It can be pictures/text or videos or everything combined. The real problem isn't...

      If you want to post/show something to a lot of people that goes away after a little while. Like a moment in time. It can be pictures/text or videos or everything combined.

      The real problem isn't the content...it's the incentive to doomscroll. When you watch one it automatically goes on to the next and they are rarely more than 5-10 seconds long...and when you run out of friends Stories it continuous forever based on an algorithm. You actively have to stop it.

      5 votes
    5. [3]
      guts
      Link Parent
      It's the easiest way to update about your life or announce something with just a few touches with an app.

      It's the easiest way to update about your life or announce something with just a few touches with an app.

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        skybrian
        Link Parent
        Do you worry that some people won't see the announcement before it's deleted? Or do you not care that much?

        Do you worry that some people won't see the announcement before it's deleted? Or do you not care that much?

        3 votes
        1. guts
          Link Parent
          Not sure I don't use that feature in WhatsApp, but the way I see my contacts using it my guess is they do care.

          Not sure I don't use that feature in WhatsApp, but the way I see my contacts using it my guess is they do care.

          2 votes
  2. grtcdr
    Link
    I'm relieved there's an option to opt out of this feature. Back when I used Instagram, stories made me feel angry with myself whenever I didn't have anything interesting going on in my life.

    I'm relieved there's an option to opt out of this feature. Back when I used Instagram, stories made me feel angry with myself whenever I didn't have anything interesting going on in my life.

    5 votes
  3. [3]
    KittyCat
    Link
    removing sms support (a feature people want and that differentiates signal) and then adding this (as far as I can tell nobody wants this in signal and other apps have this feature already) sounds...

    removing sms support (a feature people want and that differentiates signal) and then adding this (as far as I can tell nobody wants this in signal and other apps have this feature already) sounds like a winning strategy. Or am I just out of touch with what people want?

    I turned stories off when they first appeared and they re-enabled it a few days ago :(

    4 votes
    1. [2]
      kfwyre
      Link Parent
      I asked some of my students about them, and they identified that stories are extremely popular on the apps they use. We might be out of touch. 😁😆 I think Signal is going after a different crowd...

      I asked some of my students about them, and they identified that stories are extremely popular on the apps they use. We might be out of touch. 😁😆

      I think Signal is going after a different crowd than they’ve previously targeted with this, and even though I don’t use stories or plan to at all, I think it’s a good thing overall. Giving a private and ad-free option for a popular communication method feels right in Signal’s lane.

      7 votes