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Mark Zuckerberg's Real Campaign: Save Facebook (axios.com)
From an Axios report: Mark Zuckerberg started 2017 scoffing at the idea of Russia election manipulation on Facebook, and looked like he was contemplating his own possible run for the presidency. Facebook's CEO ends 2017 a very changed man: scrambling to curtail (some of) the manipulation he now acknowledges exists, and to save the most powerful platform in human history. A Facebook exec tells us: "This is the year people will see we get that there's real work to do. We have to change."
Decided on a Facebook hiatus this month. Frankly, I don’t really feel I miss much and I posted frequently. Sometimes, you think “this is cool, I should share it”. That feeling usually drops away after 10 minutes. I conclude that it really wasn’t that important then.
Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
The world would be a better place without Facebook and Twitter. It would result in less outrage politics, less radicalization of loaners, less keeping up with Jonses, less depressed people, less echo chambers, safer roads, better sleep. If deleting Facebook and Twitter was a pill, we would all be taking it instead of vitamins.
Hmm .... reading between the lines, I would guess that Zuckerberg's real concern is that engagement metrics are falling for Facebook users. I can't imagine that he gives a flip one way or the other about "fake news" or manipulation, as long as people use Facebook.
Just this morning, I unfollowed yet another friend who couldn't resist screaming at everyone with yet another political post. It's getting very, very tiring. Facebook has caused friends of mine to stop speaking (in person) to each other. It's a great platform for seeing family photos, but beyond that I no longer see much utility in using a platform that exists to promote and monetize "us vs. them" mindsets.
Facebook can't die quickly enough.
Accusations are today's proof of guilt.
Prima facie rules our collective perception.
I did a test on this in high school, because I recognized the phenomenon, though didn't know the word for it. I demanded my friend give me back my coat (his coat that he was wearing) in front of the teacher: "Hey, give me back my coat!". Despite my friend's claim that it was his coat, and without anything more from me, the teacher made him give me his coat. I explained later and returned his coat.
One test does not prove anything, but one needn't look far to see more examples.
Facebook absolutely depends on bad behavior in order to maintain the amount of power it has. The only "campaign to save Facebook" that we can realistically expect is a PR campaign. Actual positive change would harm FB's shareholders.
I remember reading a story about a man who was Facebook mobbed by a woman who accused him of being a pedophile because her kids were in part of a selfie he took. She later apologized and admitted that she was an idiot. The best way to deal with a troll mob is really simple:
1. Lock the account of EVERYONE who shared it.
2. Force them to read a notice that they participated in a troll mob based on defamatory/abusive content.
3. Threaten them that if it happens again within 90 days, they'll be locked out for 30 days.
4. If it happens three times in a year they get a lifetime ban from all Facebook social networks and using Facebook Connect to login to third party services.
Fuck you, Zuckerburger.
Start by changing your stupid Hr department, who routinely discriminate against age, and keep black lists of people critical about HR SJW practices.
That's my real personal experience.
True. I have a good friend I have known for 50 years. We went all through school together and were roommates in college. We had many great conversations trying to solve all the worlds problems. He reads a lot and considers himself to be well informed and intelligent. BUT when it comes to social media he will buy anything hook line and sinker and share it if it matches his world view. I have discussed it with him in person as I never respond to a social media post concerning politic or religion. His response is that he does not care if it is true. He basically WANTS people to believe things even if he knows they are false if it promotes his world view. I.e. "it is true even if this specific post is not correct, the meaning is correct"
He is leftist by the way but I don't think that matters. This is prevalent across all ideologies because people that consider themselves to be smart are convinced that everyone else is an idiot (mostly true) so why not use whatever tools are available to convince idiots to go along with your view.