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Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

latimes.com

111–120 of 326 posts

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#111
post #20

Can someone explain to me why a religion made by a pedophile-barbarian is somehow tolerated and even defended against "islamophobia" (is e.g. a gay guy phobic for being scared of muslims that given power would throw him from a building or persecute him in some other way at least)? Their whole ideology (as it basically governs every aspect of life) is crude, vile, barbaric and dangerous. The animosity towards them is…

Your comment is slightly abrasive, however, it is worth discussing. Every Religion has been warped by humans at some point to gain wealth or power, I think Islam has seen the worst of it. What was meant as framework to help people be happy and treat each other with dignity has turned into a destructive force used to justify crimes.

[deleted]

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#112

Unfortunately, with firearms registration and no-fly lists, Muslim registries are part of the slope we've set precedent for. A citizen should _never_ have to register with the government to exercise a freedom explicitly granted in the constitution.

Flying isn't a constitutionally protected right. Voting is though. Should you be able to vote without registering?

Flying actually falls in a gray area... Considering you are "taxed" in essence for the TSA, to move between states... freedom of movement between states and all...

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#113
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you read the Old Testament? Christianity has plenty of barbarism in it.

That's Judaism, and I think the Palestinians would agree...

Wow, way to take the high road on a tech news site. I think you're trying to imply Jews are barbarians given Israel vs. Palestinians. Note that not all Israelis are Jewish, many are Muslims, Christians, Druze, Atheists, and so on. Secondly, I doubt you have lived, worked, or spent significant time in Israel to make such judgements. More than likely you probably do not even known Israelis on a personal level.

Secondly, I'll comment separately, but Judaism != Old testament. This is incorrect for so many reasons, and among them the same reasons that even Koran != all Islam.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#114
post #35

I just went on Facebook and created an Ad [0] that targets only people "interested in Islam" and living the US, it took 30 seconds. [0] http://i.imgur.com/NOrGA2N.png --- Edit: Direct link

There is a big difference between advertising to users interested in Islam and shipping that dataset (or clicks, or people who use certain keywords in messages) to the government.

Yes, it is the intent to use it. But clearly such databases already exist.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#115

Doctors adhere to the Hippocratic Oath. Nevertheless doctors worked in concentration camps, were experimenting on humans, work as executioners currently in the US, work and worked in torture chambers, sell their patients to big pharma for Rolex watches and on and on and on. This pledge may be a statement but is practically worth nothing.

People take cues and behave based on the norms and behavior of those around them. If I know and like person X, and they exhibit unethical behavior Y, I may conclude that Y can't be that bad because I know X and they are not bad.

On the flip side if leaders in my industry or community are declaring "it's unacceptable to participate in this behavior and I will resign rather than be complicit in it" it's more likely that I'll take an ethical stance. Here are 1000+ people taking a public pledge to quit their jobs if they're asked to do unethical things. That might inspire others who are waffling, or faced with an unethical decision, to find a similar backbone.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#116
post #35

I just went on Facebook and created an Ad [0] that targets only people "interested in Islam" and living the US, it took 30 seconds. [0] http://i.imgur.com/NOrGA2N.png --- Edit: Direct link

There is a big difference between advertising to users interested in Islam and shipping that dataset (or clicks, or people who use certain keywords in messages) to the government.

Tell that to a FISA court.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#117
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Everybody was warned, everybody could have seen this coming. There has been nothing coming. Trumps pre-election stuff was BS, nothing will be done. Check back in 4 years. Besides government agencies obviously already have detailed profiles of such things, going far beyond the religion of a subject.

You're ruining their virtue-signaling party.

The only person here I see here who's virtue-signaling is Trump, by making statements that are widely acknowledged to be just for show and not serious promises.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#118

Doctors adhere to the Hippocratic Oath. Nevertheless doctors worked in concentration camps, were experimenting on humans, work as executioners currently in the US, work and worked in torture chambers, sell their patients to big pharma for Rolex watches and on and on and on. This pledge may be a statement but is practically worth nothing.

Doctor here. Never took the Hipp Oath and there's absolutely nothing binding about it. Regardless, most medical schools in the US are using the Declaration of Geneva in place of the Hippocratic Oath, since the former is more reasonable. Also not binding in any way.

Here's the philosophy I follow: do the best I can for the person in the bed and his/her family.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#119
That is an interesting headline, when I read it I immediately thought the coda would be, "... but advertising networks offer to share theirs."

There is absolutely technology already out there that, without your voluntary participation, puts you into arbitrarily precise boxes. One need only look at the targeting options on a Facebook ad to realize just how deep that data goes.

Adtech companies have invested billions in ways, legal, sketchy, and sometimes downright illegal to put together databases on everyone who ever connects with the Internet in any way on any platform. They do that because being able to target ads accurately makes them more money.

Re: Tech workers pledge to never build a database of Muslims

#120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

equating the purchase of a shotgun to having an ethnic or religious identity is a sad statement.

Why? Both are guaranteed in the Constitution. Picking parts and playing favorites is what has lead us to the current state of affairs.

One is a potentially deadly weapon, bearing a serial number that might be especially useful if found at a crime scene.

The other is a largely inconsequential part of your personal identity, which has routinely been used as justification for persecution throughout human history.

(Personally: I support responsible gun ownership, but I don't think there's anything wrong with asking owners to register their serial numbers.)

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