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Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

propublica.org

41–50 of 71 posts

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#41
post #6

> Now the German government is considering legislation that would allow social networks such as Facebook to be fined up to 50 million euros if they don’t remove hate speech and fake news quickly enough. As an American I can't imagine being arrested for speaking my mind about a race or religion whether it's considered hate speech or not. It's just unfathomable. Thanks to our forefathers for putting free speech on such…

I'd love to see how quickly an ISIS recruitment rally would be squashed in any city in the USA with nobody shedding a tear over the abuse of freedom of speech.

The ACLU famously defended the KKK's right to have parades/rallies. Both have a pretty good history of killing Americans and saying horrible things.

This country exists because of freedom of speech and press, and it really does matter to us.

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#42
post #38
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect you're being downvoted because your assessment of the issue to "Facebook is okay with racism, sexism, homophobia" etc. is seen as an oversimplification, no different than someone from Germany/Israel saying the U.S. (and the 1st Amendment) is OK with neo-Nazis, or China thinking America as a den of smut and anarchy.

Except Facebook being okay with discrimination and hate speech is literally spelled out in the slide deck. As long as you don't tickle the right combination of "protected class" by using an appropriate modifier (e.g. "black children " instead of "all black people") you can say whatever the hell you want about people. It's not my fault so many users here are being willfully obtuse about this.

Why shouldn't I be able to say whatever I want about people, even if it deviates from the norm. Norms change, "Gays are people" and "Women should be able to vote" were 100% norm-violating speech until recently. In fact, there's a few countries where those are still unwelcome speech - should we bow to their social norms?

Shouldn't I be able to say things like that? Aren't you happy people did? Do you believe that our current worldview is perfect and cannot be challenged by concepts outside of the Overton window?

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#43
post #27

I left facebook last month. I don't miss it, I'm happier for it, and articles like this kinda vindicate that decision. It's nice to see that the things I was observing there are, in fact, exactly what the company is okay with: racism, sexism, homophobia are fine on Facebook as long as you craft your posts and comments with surgical precision. It explains how, nearly every time I reported one of the assholes making th…

If you diss the community in a pompous way while being part of it yourself, of course you're going to get downvoted. Rightly so.

Since your comment distorted the hard problem Facebook faces with uncharitable snark ("okay with"), there were other reasons to downvote as well, even if one disagrees with Facebook.

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#44
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As an American I can't imagine being arrested for speaking my mind about a race or religion whether it's considered hate speech or not. Yeah, you might just get fired from your (unrelated) job over an internet mob storm.

Admittedly, that's bad, and pretty devastating. But I think compared to having the gestapo kick in your door, take you away in cuffs, and no-one sees you for 90 days is just a little more egregious.

Gestapo? Really? That's being needlessly hyperbolic, and somewhat ridiculous considering the raids concerned support for National Socialism. In the instance you presented no one was arrested.

"The operation focused in particular on the German state of Bavaria, where according to police sources, a secret Facebook group had posted messages glamorizing National Socialism, which is illegal in Germany."

http://www.dw.com/en/german-police-launch-mass-raids-over-on...

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd love to see how quickly an ISIS recruitment rally would be squashed in any city in the USA with nobody shedding a tear over the abuse of freedom of speech.

The ACLU famously defended the KKK's right to have parades/rallies. Both have a pretty good history of killing Americans and saying horrible things. This country exists because of freedom of speech and press, and it really does matter to us.

America has historically cared very little for the Americans the KKK killed. Judging by the commentary that arises whenever BLM is mentioned, it still doesn't.

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#47
post #46

What if it's true?

If you think so, you need to start asking yourself why.

When hostile racial stereotypes get reinforced day after day you end up with a brainwashed society like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i20d11fGz-0

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#48
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ACLU famously defended the KKK's right to have parades/rallies. Both have a pretty good history of killing Americans and saying horrible things. This country exists because of freedom of speech and press, and it really does matter to us.

America has historically cared very little for the Americans the KKK killed. Judging by the commentary that arises whenever BLM is mentioned, it still doesn't.

When BLM is mentioned, I often see people criticize their methods, the underlying ideology of some members and their claims to truth. I have never seen anyone not care about black people being killed.

There is, of course, a possibility that I'm living in an opaque filter bubble and that the racist hordes are just outside. If I am, please pop that bubble and show me the truth.

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#49
post #46

What if it's true?

If you think so, you need to start asking yourself why. When hostile racial stereotypes get reinforced day after day you end up with a brainwashed society like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i20d11fGz-0

Oh, I don't really think so, no, but it is conceivable. And I'd actually rather have people communicate what they believe to be true rather than what they think they can get away with.

Re: Internal documents shed light on the guidelines that Facebook’s censors use

#50
post #6

> Now the German government is considering legislation that would allow social networks such as Facebook to be fined up to 50 million euros if they don’t remove hate speech and fake news quickly enough. As an American I can't imagine being arrested for speaking my mind about a race or religion whether it's considered hate speech or not. It's just unfathomable. Thanks to our forefathers for putting free speech on such…

Unfortunately that's the reality for Western/Northern Europe right now. In countries like Germany or Sweden, speaking against other people on Twitter/Facebook, critizing immigration policies can get you ostracized, fired from your job and even taken into custody for 'hate speech'.
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