Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

bombthrower.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 264 posts

Re: Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

#11

Post by jasonjayr »

jeffbee wrote: post #9
jasonjayr wrote: post #5

This is rehashing the old "common carrier" debate again, isn't it? Which of these are the common carriers: Physical wire/connectivity provider? ISP? Tier1 ISPs? Social media sites connecting messages with other folks? Where is the line drawn, and what responsibility does each level have?

You can't use the common carrier argument to force someone to be a common carrier. If you pick and choose your clients based on policy you are by definition not a common carrier. Mailchimp is a private carrier. They choose what to carry.

Agreed -- but a lot of social media sites say "we just connect people" and then turn around and are forced to play moderator so things don't burn out of control...

Re: Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

#12

Post by g42gregory »

I think this article spot-on. In my opinion, there is very little (but not zero) actual misinformation on the Internet. Most of what we call “misinformation” is an influence campaign by one side, which is thoroughly disliked by the opposing side. When Big Tech labels something “misinformation” they are essentially taking one side or the other on the issue at hand.

Re: Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

#14

Post by ordinaryradical »

g42gregory wrote: post #12

I think this article spot-on. In my opinion, there is very little (but not zero) actual misinformation on the Internet. Most of what we call “misinformation” is an influence campaign by one side, which is thoroughly disliked by the opposing side. When Big Tech labels something “misinformation” they are essentially taking one side or the other on the issue at hand.

> there is very little (but not zero) actual misinformation on the Internet.

It’s not the amount to take issue with but the spread of its influence. Anti-vaccine ideology was given a platform by big tech and now we have an endemic disease because folks believe that nonsense and let it hold sway over their medical decisions.

Edit: for folks voting this down I’d be interested in a rebuttal or at least an explanation of how this doesn’t add to the conversation. I try to be a good citizen here and thought I was engaging in good faith.

Re: Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

#15

Post by StuntPope »

trompetenaccoun wrote: post #2

There was another submission a few minutes ago in the same light. It linked to an article about how Big Tech companies are censoring doctors and decide what is accurate medical information. It was removed.

This one will be flagged any second.

Re: Big Tech are supposed to be the plumbers, not patricians of internet discourse

#20

Post by kfprt »

jareklupinski wrote: post #17
kfprt wrote: post #7

Lately being on the internet is feeling more like Junta era Argentina with content disappearing left and right.

youtube-dl is the only proof I have that some of my favorite content ever actually existed

For me it's the realization that I don't even know what I lost. I just have lists of dead URL's.
Post reply on HN