It’s not an advanced argument to say that what makes platforms viable is the actual platform itself– it’s the users, the way that they make the platform their own. It’s these webs that they build, how the actions of a single user emended in a social network of ties will have ripple effects across the entirety of the platform.
Fandom’s experience with these migrations has demonstrated how each time you try to rebuild your social web, part of your ties are lost, part of your inscribed history is razed to nothing.
A great piece from Camille Butera. I tried giving Tumblr another go as a place to save inspo/images awhile back, opting instead for an Are.na channel, but I was thinking about it again this morning when Maya started talking about it a bit. Camille nails two things, imo, 1) users make the network (obviously) and 2) the potential for networks to disappear, reminiscent of the anxiety I have whenever I consider heavily investing in a new place.