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Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

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Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#21

Post by [deleted] »

dantheman wrote: post #13
rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

How is this any different than the New York Times or the Nightly News? They control to a large extent the news people see.

[deleted]

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#22

Post by dheera »

rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

The other weird thing is that Twitter is seen as a global information platform but the value system imposed on it is very US-centric. Likewise for Facebook.

The whole "interference" in US elections on Facebook, for example, was quite possibly blown way out of proportion compared to all the other "interference" happening around the world on Facebook.

For example, why was Facebook called to testify in front of US Congress, but not testify in front of Beijing for spreading misinformation about China?

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#23

Post by kleer001 »

partiallypro wrote: post #19
rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

Why would it be ok for the Chinese government to influence public opinion on Hong Kong, but Russia can't influence public opinion on presidential elections? Feels like it should be both or none.

There's lots of differences at a high enough resolution of analysis.

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#24

Post by tnolet »

dantheman wrote: post #13
rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

How is this any different than the New York Times or the Nightly News? They control to a large extent the news people see.

These are journalistic organizations. Not tech companies selling ads. Sure, newspapers sell a ton of ads, but they tend to balance the news and the commercial sides way better and more delicate than your average SV tech corps.

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#26

Post by mattfrommars »

seppin wrote: post #2

Between this, and mainland Chinese protesting while living/studying abroad whereas they wouldn't have the right to do so at home, the irony is palpable.

You are onto something which had been bothering me yesterday.

I have a Chinese room mate who yesterday showed me images/videos 'anti-protester'and exclaiming how he wanted to be part of. Note in the past and still continues to be against the Chinese government and expresses disapproval of them.

I found it very odd of him to side with the anti-protestors because 'I love China and these protestors hate Chinese'. I told him, the people of Hong Kong are protesting against the Chinese government and the government does not represent the people. He further added, "people in China love the government". "If people don't like the government, they can kick them out".

I told him I am pretty sure they can't because the regime is not communist but instead totalitarian. Even a month ago, he told you can't speak anything against the government even if you wanted to because of their "3 generation threat".

So your comment must be part I missed in my mind, the Chinese national who sympathize with the government here in the US shouldn't be protesting at all. The government they support, it is against any type of protest and unrest. Can it be said that pro-Chinese government individuals don't really have the right no matter which type of environment they live in?

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#27

Post by tnolet »

partiallypro wrote: post #19
rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

Why would it be ok for the Chinese government to influence public opinion on Hong Kong, but Russia can't influence public opinion on presidential elections? Feels like it should be both or none.

Both are wrong. I don’t think anyone is arguing anything different.

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#28

Post by whatok »

dheera wrote: post #22
rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

The other weird thing is that Twitter is seen as a global information platform but the value system imposed on it is very US-centric. Likewise for Facebook. The whole "interference" in US elections on Facebook, for example, was quite possibly blown way out of proportion compared to all the other "interference" happening around the world on Facebook. For example, why was Facebook called to testify in front of US Congr…

Beijing would have FB testify if it were possible to compel them and if it suited their purposes.

Re: Twitter is blocked in China, but its state news agency is buying promoted tweets

#29

Post by SllX »

rococode wrote: post #7

Twitter just posted this statement: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/informati... And a new policy banning all state-controlled media from advertising: https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2019/advertisi... I think this is an interesting example of recent discussions about the disproportionate influence of social media companies on information. Obviously, it doesn't seem right for a governm…

Not to undermine your concerns, for you raise fair questions, but this is justifiable behavior on Twitter’s part for a simple reason: Twitter is blocked in PRC.

It seems fair to block the activities of even entire governments to operate on a platform that is itself blocked from operating normally in that country. Governments are not above reproach or criticism anymore than corporations are. If PRC will not subject itself to fair scrutiny or allow their subjects to participate on Twitter’s platform, then why should Twitter have to play or even allow PRC’s game on their platform, especially when they are blatantly breaking Twitter’s rules and intentionally trying to deceive Twitter’s users.

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