I'm resigning from my job at Facebook • Hacker News Board

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#371

Post by yogthos » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:29 PM UTC

A4ET8a8uTh0 wrote: post #288

yogthos wrote: post #167

Anybody working for Facebook is knowingly and willingly helping promote fascism. These people have some of the best job options out there, and they're actively choosing to work for a company that's actively harmful to society.

Uhh. I dislike FB as much as next poster here, but I cannot explicitly state that FB does not benefit society. In a sense, it might be closer to alchohol. It might be ok in small doses, but too much of it will mess you up. Also, I would hesitate using term 'fascism' on US oriented forum. As arguments go, the label has become largely meaningless.

There is literal research showing that Facebook is harmful to mental health https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sex-murder-and-the-m...

Facebook also has a long history of meddling in elections and actively promoting far right groups. Meanwhile, fascism is absolutely not a meaningless label, and it's literally what's happening in US right now. Trump’s own former defense secretary just compared him to the nazis https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7wn7m/welp-trumps-own-fo...

When a company builds its whole business model on promoting extremist ideology and mass surveillance, then it's a pretty strong indication that it does not in fact benefit society.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#372

Post by luckylion » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:29 PM UTC

snarfy wrote: post #339

krzyk wrote: post #282

So he doesn't believe that one should be able to protect their property? If looting is not the one that should be discouraged with shots, then what about rape? If that also not, then where it starts? How do you stop looters? Asking nicely? Mob has its own personality and it doesn't have conscious. I don't like current US president (BTW I'm not US citizen, nor do I live there), but that quote wasn't the one people sho…

Property can be replaced. People cannot. In my state it is illegal to protect property with deadly force. They have to threaten your life before you can shoot.

Out of interest, which country is that?

Germany requires proportionality, e.g. you obviously can't shoot people because they try to steal candy, but you can very much protect your car.

I have zero objections to that. You will not get money from an insurance company if somebody robs you or breaks into your house to clean the place out. It's really not "what do you care, it's only money, a human life cannot be replaced". The money will also not be replaced.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#373

Post by kiplkipl » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:30 PM UTC

seesawtron wrote: post #331

kiplkipl wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This website has rapid interaction from other users and visible upvotes that add up over time to create a personal score that nets you extra benefits. If I worked for Facebook, I'd like stronger evidence than amateur psychology for me to feel morally compelled to give up my livelihood. Edit: furthermore many users post with real or pseudo-real names that reward them with real life social clout.

For example, is there any revenue generated from people visiting users' profiles on HN? But there is revenue from ads on Facebook and Instagram profiles that millions subscribe to. There is no "subscription" like cult on this forum (afaik). I do not see content based on whether user has high points or not. Unlike social media, where people with more followers get more visibility. So I think the scoring vs followers i…

I've expanded on this in another comment but I do think that YC gain a real but indirect financial benefit from operating this website.

>Back in the day forums were used for anonymous discussions when you would not trust strangers on the internet. I guess now the opposite is trending.

While writing this I was thinking of the famous 'LINUX is obsolete' thread.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#374

Post by jimmaswell » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:30 PM UTC

Garbage wrote: post #219

Descartes1 wrote: post #107

I wouldn't hire this person. But I'm glad he found a job.

Can you please explain why would you not hire this person?

If I were running a platform, I wouldn't want employees that would quit on me over not censoring news on the platform exactly to their taste.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#375

Post by weareconvo » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:31 PM UTC

code4tee wrote: post #208

Zuckerberg has always made it clear to investors and employees that Facebook is not a democracy. Mark is in charge and has full control of the company to do as he pleases when he pleases. When they IPOed he made it clear that’s how the company works. IPO materials made it clear that if you don’t like that don’t invest in it. Not saying I agree with his actions (or inactions) and decisions but he’s been very clear abo…

True, but there may also be a national interest in him not being in charge anymore.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#376

Post by pedro_hab » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:32 PM UTC

kemitchell wrote: post #170

pedro_hab wrote: post #62

This is all nonsense to me. Trump said if you loot, you get shot. Isn't this how our society works? If you steal you may end up getting shot. People are trying to react as if he said "if you walk down the street you'll get shot". Sensitive topic, I guess. * EDIT: The nonsense part is people calling Trump to be censored, like OP. I am not condoning violence but I do think looting may lead to it, it's not too far from…

In general, the death penalty does not apply to property crimes as such. In practice, the system executes convicted criminals almost exclusively for murder. And our Supreme Court has prohibited capital punishment even for appalling violent crimes, like adult rape. Police use-of-force policies---however otherwise flawed---limit deadly force. State laws vary as to when and how private citizens may defend themselves wit…

I don't think you understood my comment, I am not condoning death penalty, or the police using deadly force in situations where it is unnecessary.

I am saying that Trump statements seem reasonable in what outcome we may have.

Looting may escalate to shooting, the reactions to this statement seem too extreme to me.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#377

Post by bargl » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:33 PM UTC

nightski wrote: post #126

I respect his decision. But I for one do not want our president, no matter who she or he is to be censored. I want to know exactly what they are saying and when. That includes any government official for that matter because it directly affects my voting decisions and actions.

I disagree. I keep trying to figure out ways in which I can show people why I disagree.

What would have happened if Facebook had been around in the 1920s and Hitler had said, I want to round up all of the people of Jewish decent and murder them... in a really bad way?

Now what would have happened if that message was only shared locally not globally. Or it was determined by the majority what message could be shared. Many people love comparing Trump to Hitler, but what they forget is Hitler was LOVED. He was eloquent. He was a great at harnessing everyone's rage and controlling it. He was an EVIL controlling dictator, but he understood how to control the majority well. Trump does not. If he wins again it will not be majority votes it will be electoral college.

Now Obama, in his first election knew how to influence people. Shit, sorry I miss that guy, I digress.

The problem is when a politician says something that can be backed up by force it's a fact, not an opinion. If I Said, Trump should, "do XYZ". It's an opinion and if it's egregious enough it should be discarded. If I say, "I want to do XYZ to This person." It needs to be kept if only as proof of intent (even if it's no longer shared via algorithm). Now if I were to say, I want to start a war, and I had the legal right, power, and capability to do so. It should be kept, spread AND commented on. Because one thing that comments do well is breed divisiveness and I don't want unity on posts which are hateful.

The thoughts of a leader need to be spread. Even if you abhor Trump, I don't want to stop his message unless he loses power over me. Because no matter what you want he has POWER over all of us. We have power too as has been seen recently. But information is power, to remove information is to dis-empower the people. He's not a redneck with a gun. He's a redneck with nukes.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#378

Post by s1artibartfast » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:33 PM UTC

alex_duf wrote: post #332

nightski wrote: post #126

I respect his decision. But I for one do not want our president, no matter who she or he is to be censored. I want to know exactly what they are saying and when. That includes any government official for that matter because it directly affects my voting decisions and actions.

I don't know if it qualifies as censorship. Facebook or other social media platforms aren't public spaces, they are private. You can remove whatever you want from your own private platform. If president trump want to say something that is removed from these platform I'm sure he can host his own blog. If you're going to use a social media platform, you have to obey by the rules of that platform. It's not censorship. H…

cencorship =/= illegal censorship =/= first ammendment voiolation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship

It absolutely is censorship, AND they are within their legal rights to do it. Everyone is allowed to have an opinion on facebooks policy.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#379

Post by yogthos » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:33 PM UTC

sparkling wrote: post #229

yogthos wrote: post #167

Anybody working for Facebook is knowingly and willingly helping promote fascism. These people have some of the best job options out there, and they're actively choosing to work for a company that's actively harmful to society.

Facebook is promoting "facism" for not deleting Trump? lol

Might want to read up on some of Facebook history in promoting extremist ideology because it's good business. Here are a couple of links to get you started

https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-knows-it-encourages-di...

https://www.start.umd.edu/pubs/START_PIRUS_UseOfSocialMediaB...

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#380

Post by daleharvey » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:34 PM UTC

macspoofing wrote: post #189

daleharvey wrote: post #11

Today I opened facebook to reply to a message from my mum, I got autoplaying videos of Candace Owens and Ben Shapiro "destroying" liberals and trying to discredit George Floyd. I hope we come out of this period with a better understanding of the responsibility we have of the effect of the technology we build, pretending the things we build are neutral and hiding behind "free speech" is not working

I don't follow Candace Owens so I can't speak to that, but Ben Shapiro has been very sympathetic towards justice for the murder of George Floyd and calling on the cop to be punished - pretty much daily since the video came out. Why would you say he's trying to discredit George Floyd?

The Ben Shapiro video was the one title "destroying liberals" arguing against women being able to access healthcare / have abortions, the Candace Owens one was talking about how George Floyd wasnt a martyr.

Ben Shapiro's twitter is predictably a constant stream of ridiculing the protests, that isnt being sympathetic towards justice for the murder, thats just saying something obvious that people have to agree with you before you announce your contrarian view.