Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting • Hacker News Board

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#611

Post by tyre » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:09 AM UTC

partiallypro wrote: post #475

One might even argue that Facebook/Twitter are doing this explicitly to ensure a party is put in power that won't try to reform them in any way. Their actions show it, and their political donations show it. That's my putting on the tin foil, but I think you could make such an argument. We always talk about Big Oil, etc being friends to Republicans, but often ignore Big Tech's close ties to Democrats.

I would expect it has less to do with who they want to be elected than who they think will be elected.

If the polls are anywhere close to real, they’re going to see both houses of Congress plus the executive in Democratic hands. That is the same party publicly calling for their breakup.

So if you see it coming, get out ahead of it.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#612

Post by bosswipe » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:11 AM UTC

remarkEon wrote: post #605

bosswipe wrote: post #476

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happens if the party that is attacking our democracy by spreading disinformation in the last few weeks of the election gets into power?

This comment is indicative of the absolute sea change that has happened over the last four years with how we treat speech and journalism. Gone are the days when if you read a story and thought it was BS, you ignored it and moved on. Or when a politician says something dumb, that's obviously untrue or a distortion, you just laughed and said "what an idiot". Today, these things are "disinformation" and are "an attack o…

There's a difference between framing events vs fabricating them from whole cloth.

The only way democracy can work is if voters are making decisions based on real world information. Injecting completely false information into the public discourse is a direct attack on democracy.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#613

Post by whatsmyusername » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:13 AM UTC

The NY Post is the trashiest of tabloids, good.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#614

Post by ffggvv » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:13 AM UTC

they should ban the NYT trump tax return story as presumably those records were hacked or gotten in an illegal method as well. Oh wait, these decisions only ever happen one way...

not to mention the countless “russia” stories that have been debunked

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#615

Post by rat87 » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:15 AM UTC

Good for Twitter and good for Facebook for once not bowing down to conservative demands to allow them to spread untrue propaganda and conspiracies (https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21357663/facebook-removed-...)

I'm very surprised so many people have a problem with this.

I'm even more surprised people are demanding that forums and social media be stripped of the ability to moderate porn, spam, and vile personal attacks (ie not be able to moderate anything not illegal). Oh plus conspiracies and racism. This would likely turn most forums including HN into trash

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#616

Post by untog » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:16 AM UTC

partiallypro wrote: post #475

One might even argue that Facebook/Twitter are doing this explicitly to ensure a party is put in power that won't try to reform them in any way. Their actions show it, and their political donations show it. That's my putting on the tin foil, but I think you could make such an argument. We always talk about Big Oil, etc being friends to Republicans, but often ignore Big Tech's close ties to Democrats.

Big Tech also has plenty of close ties to Republicans: remember when Facebook’s Joel Kaplan appeared at Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing?

https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-facebook-exec-backs-kavana...

And find one of @pinboard’s regular threads on the political donations big tech companies make and you’ll find a lot of Republicans:

https://twitter.com/Pinboard/status/1152245502361997314

The reality is that once you’re as big as FB, Google and the rest you have enough money to play both sides of the aisle. Doesn’t matter who is in power, you’ve got them both under control.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#617

Post by hyperdunc » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:19 AM UTC

whatever1 wrote: post #599

Whatever it takes to get rid of a tyrant. The guy has repeatedly shown that he has no appreciation for the institutions, the unity of the nation, democracy or the election process itself. He will do whatever he can to stay in power. We should make sure he does not succeed.

Replace the word 'tyrant' with the name of almost any major political player and it remains relevant. The corruption runs far beyond any individual.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#618

Post by hartator » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:20 AM UTC

rat87 wrote: post #615

Good for Twitter and good for Facebook for once not bowing down to conservative demands to allow them to spread untrue propaganda and conspiracies ( https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21357663/facebook-removed-... ) I'm very surprised so many people have a problem with this. I'm even more surprised people are demanding that forums and social media be stripped of the ability to moderate porn, spam, and vile personal at…

Was the email not real?

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#619

Post by drewrv » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:20 AM UTC

remarkEon wrote: post #605

bosswipe wrote: post #476

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happens if the party that is attacking our democracy by spreading disinformation in the last few weeks of the election gets into power?

This comment is indicative of the absolute sea change that has happened over the last four years with how we treat speech and journalism. Gone are the days when if you read a story and thought it was BS, you ignored it and moved on. Or when a politician says something dumb, that's obviously untrue or a distortion, you just laughed and said "what an idiot". Today, these things are "disinformation" and are "an attack o…

It's been argued time and again, from one side that Facebook and Twitter are private companies and that free speech doesn't apply on their sites, and from another side that what we're talking about is an abstract principal of free speech, not the legal definition.

But if you remove the loaded term of "free speech", what's actually being discussed here is "website moderation policies". With that framing, what is the expectation for Facebook and Twitter? To devolve into 4chan?

Personally, I like well moderated sites. That's why I'm here! It's bizarre to me that so many other people who chose to spend their time here expect Facebook and Twitter to be laissez faire about moderation.

Re: Facebook, Twitter block the NY Post from posting

#620

Post by untog » Thu, Oct 15, 2020, 3:20 AM UTC

dahfizz wrote: post #594

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #520

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> it just poured liquid oxygen on the "reform section 230" fire you're seeing from both sides of the aisle - one using the censorship reason, the other using the disinformation reason The GOP is prioritizing § 230 reform. Given their likely fall from power and prioritization of the SCOTUS confirmation, as well as Democrat control of the House and its focus on stimulus bills, the short-term threat is minute. From an a…

I'm curious why you seem so confident in a widespread democratic victory when the republicans did so well in 2016? EDIT: for those unaware, not only did the republican party take control of the House, Senate, and Presidency in 2016. They also made big gains in state elections. In fact, the republican party had a 'trifecta' (house, senate, and executive) in 25/50 states. It was a very significant shift in power: https…

You could just as easily counter and ask why anyone would expect a Republican victory when Democrats did so well in the 2018 midterms.

Previous result are only predictive to a point.