I agree with your points about people not wanting to think and that the usability is important, but with anything there are tradeoffs. If you have to sacrifice usability for an addd layer of privacy, or to be able to own your data and be in control of it, then people need to be taught to value these things. I absolutely hate all social media, but absolutely love freedom. It’s the only reason I’m here. I’m hear to tell stories and to listen to them. To connect with people and to debate the ongoing troubles of our time. To shitpost and laugh.
No one is going to use something that is more time consuming and complex, unless they know what they are gaining and sacrificing. It’s been an ongoing discussion here for over a year, and I think the best answer is that choice for the user is of the utmost importance. If one wants to simply use a Twitter clone, because it’s easy, and give up added layers of privacy or control then that is fine. As long as the user is educated and understands the tradeoffs, then I don’t see a problem with it. So I think we are on the same page there.
As for what you said about your data, why not exist online in multiple domains/ways. My view is that one should be educated on how to exist online in a private way, so that they have the skills necessary if it were ever to become dangerous, or risky to have certain opinions/beliefs/ideas and to be able to connect with people to form a bulwark against invasive surveillance and control. It may get way worste and open and transparent ways of communicating may become a matter of life or death. I know it sounds hyperbolic but why not have that in your toolbox in case you need it?