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Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

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Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#181

Post by whakim »

gunapologist99 wrote: post #163
whakim wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that the algorithms should be publicly reviewable. But I'm not sure that solves the central issue which is that there's a tension between what's financially good for social networks (algorithms that increase engagement - which disproportionately favors echo chambers, controversial and shallow content, etc.) and what's good for the general public.

> what's good for the general public. I personally don't really care what facebook (or anyone else) believes is good for me . I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much. And if I want to eat chocolate all day, I'll do that, too.

Social networks aren't in the business of showing you what's "good for you." They're in the business of showing you what's good for them (e.g. things that will increase your engagement).

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#182

Post by slg »

13years wrote: post #59
slg wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you fact check the flat Earth theories? Sometimes there is objective truth and sometimes there isn't.

The problem is who decides. Once you create a fact checking entity, it will decide for itself what are object truths. Within a fact checking entity you essentially have the same issue as regulatory capture.

Fair, but this is a question of implementation. Objective truth being hard to define doesn't mean there is no such thing as objective truth.

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#184

Post by whiddershins »

crummybowley wrote: post #6

And this is why Facebook has no business being part of fact checking. While it may look different, this is no different than two folks on the phone getting interrupted by ATT and being told they are incorrect on their assumptions about topic X. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are the carrier, and should be treated as such.

The problem everyone is dancing around by trying to say Google, Twitter, or Facebook is a common carrier is that they filter and weight what you see anyway

It’s literally the service Google provides.

If they could decouple the information store from the display, and allow third parties to algorithmically filter and sort, then we could designate them as common carries for the first half. Maybe.

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#185

Post by BeetleB »

telxos wrote: post #143
SquareWheel wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is such a Hacker News answer. Some people rely on their relationships with other people. They build support systems, form groups, and take comfort in the company of others. Being cut off suddenly and with no means to reconnect would isolate many people. This would be extremely damaging from a mental health perspective alone. In addition, so many people have reconnected with old friends, family, teachers. One fri…

Actual research shows the opposite effect on mental health from what you are saying. When you don't have Facebook your friends and family just txt or email. I mean Facebook book hasn't even been around that long. To pretend it is something like water or electricity is just preposterous.

While I agree that FB disappearing wouldn't be that big a deal, the idea that email is an "obvious" alternative is quite problematic for the younger folk.

Data point: In 2009, the admin assistant in my department at university told me she's been getting quite a few upset incoming freshmen because of the requirement to have an email address for university classes - many of them had never used email before, and had communicated only via text, and IM apps. This was over 10 years ago.

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#187

Post by tshaddox »

13years wrote: post #59
slg wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you fact check the flat Earth theories? Sometimes there is objective truth and sometimes there isn't.

The problem is who decides. Once you create a fact checking entity, it will decide for itself what are object truths. Within a fact checking entity you essentially have the same issue as regulatory capture.

> The problem is who decides.

The problem is the poorly-considered but extremely widespread epistemology that goes something like "whether a claim is true depends on how convinced certain people are of that claim."

> Once you create a fact checking entity, it will decide for itself what are object truths.

No, it will just make claims, which may be true or false. There's nothing mysterious or troubling about this. They're not "deciding" what's true.

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#188

Post by specialist »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #108
ddvvff wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of small businesses thrive on Facebook pages, restaurants too, at least in my country. Those would go under fast

Would they? If I'm looking for a restaurant, and Facebook suddenly disappeared, I'd still be looking for a restaurant. I just would have to use Google Maps or something to find one.

I find it absolutely crazy that neither google maps or yelp can use location (geofencing) as part of their "relevant results" algos.

(This might have improved since my last road trip, late 2019. YMMV)

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#189

Post by betwixthewires »

chris_wot wrote: post #170

My wife tried to hide her age, but not being terribly Facebook savvy changed her DOB to the current date. She was immediately blocked from Facebook. She appealed and gave her proof of age. Still, Facebook wouldn’t budge. Facebook’s automated mechanisms suck. If they can’t tell that someone who has been on the platform for over a decade with photos showing she is a middle aged women, married with two kids, is not, in…

I haven't used Facebook in a decade. Not even a little bit. I highly recommend it.

Re: Facebook is now claiming official CDC.gov links are “False Information”

#190

Post by sonograph »

crummybowley wrote: post #6

And this is why Facebook has no business being part of fact checking. While it may look different, this is no different than two folks on the phone getting interrupted by ATT and being told they are incorrect on their assumptions about topic X. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are the carrier, and should be treated as such.

Same with Google. I searched a covid-related question, and Google's preferred answer at the top was "There is no evidence of this", while the next two links were medical journals that did show evidence that directly contradicted Google's statement.

It amazes me.

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