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Facebook under fire over secret teen research

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

they enable communication for 3 billion people on the scale not previously seen in the history of mankind?

WHy is that good? Seems like it just leads to 13% of teenagers just wanting to kill themselves.

Logic from converse for one. If it isn't good would it be good to cut off communication despite such a power being heavily abusable? If not then why is this point a magical perfect balance of communication?

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#72
post #62

A parallel between Facebook and Big Tobacco had never occurred to me until I read this: > In a move straight out of big tobacco's playbook, Facebook downplayed the negative effects of its product and hid this research from the public and even from members of Congress who specifically asked for it What would our world be like if it were illegal to have a social media account until you were 21 years old? Interesting to…

I think the alternative would not be that teenagers would not have social media accounts, but that they would all be on Tiktok (which probably is already the case)

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#73

Does anyone remember Cosmopolitan and other like magazines. Teenage body issues and associated anxiety are not new. What has happened is we gave everyone internet access so now they can look at pictures of unrealistic bodies all day everywhere they go. The result is body dysmorphia on steroids.

> now they can look at pictures of unrealistic bodies all day everywhere they go.

It's worse than that. Now they will be subjected to those pictures whenever they socialize online, like if 30 years ago every telephone was next to a stack of them.

Thankfully, we don't make people sit and stare at cosmo ever time they socialize. We only make people stand and stare at it whenever they buy groceries.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#74
post #21

Such a shame Facebook is considered a prestigious place to work. Sure, you can become a millionaire, but at what cost? Is this what you imagined you would do as a kid interested in math/computers/science?

It's a useful tool for hiring though. I wouldn't be able to hire anyone who worked there. At least at my current job, a functioning moral compass is required due to the impact our clients (governments) have on the general population. It's part of our interview process to figure out if someone cares about how their work effects people. Not that the pay scales overlap much anyway.

Applying morality to jobs is a pretty piss poor strategy. I'm a big fan of privacy, how many companies have employees that I cannot morally hire with your perspective? How can a Libertarian ever hire anyone who has served in a war? How can a religious person sell goods to all people in the community they serve?

The thing about morals is that they're written by the individual, and meant to guide the individual. They're fine to have until you try to apply them to other people.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#75
post #72
post #62

A parallel between Facebook and Big Tobacco had never occurred to me until I read this: > In a move straight out of big tobacco's playbook, Facebook downplayed the negative effects of its product and hid this research from the public and even from members of Congress who specifically asked for it What would our world be like if it were illegal to have a social media account until you were 21 years old? Interesting to…

I think the alternative would not be that teenagers would not have social media accounts, but that they would all be on Tiktok (which probably is already the case)

TikTok is a much more positive platform than anything Facebook has come up with TBH. Almost all of the creators I follow are just... normal people, making normal jokes and doing normal things. They aren't heavily airbrushed or photo/videoshopped or whatever. The content itself is generally much more positive and much more focused around acceptance and (body-)positivity. As far as social media platforms go, TikTok is much "healthier" than Instagram.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#76
post #4

Does anyone remember Cosmopolitan and other like magazines. Teenage body issues and associated anxiety are not new. What has happened is we gave everyone internet access so now they can look at pictures of unrealistic bodies all day everywhere they go. The result is body dysmorphia on steroids.

Young men are vulnerable to this, too. In fact, it's not unreasonable to think that it doesn't do any good for older men and women, either.

If I recall the FB research from that other thread correctly, it's about half as bad for young men. Instagram is bad for everyone.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#77

Such a shame Facebook is considered a prestigious place to work. Sure, you can become a millionaire, but at what cost? Is this what you imagined you would do as a kid interested in math/computers/science?

> Such a shame Facebook is considered a prestigious place to work. Is it? It’s not my industry but I haven’t got that impression from reading threads here.

The irony is not lost on me that HN decries social media for being one massive echo chamber and are just as detached from the real world themselves.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#78
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Or people don't share your views on ethics.

I'd be interested in seeing which set of ethical values helps someone reconcile the two notions of "I'm not a bad person" and "I directly enable human rights abuses on a scale never-before-seen in human history;" or, otherwise, which perspective a person can take that doesn't commit them to the second notion (precluding fundamentally self-deceptive perspectives, such as willful ignorance).

Well for one a stance based upon human agency. "Enabling" is also a massive weasel word of propaganda to attribute all indirect actions and consequences to the target while ignoring the actual actors. The ones committing human rights violations.

Limiting everyone to only non-toxic crayons short, dull, plastic knives that cannot even cut bread would reduce ability to inflict harm. To call blaming the tool childish is an insult to children. Is Sony now responsible for production and distribution of child pornography for making camcorders, screens, and computer memory?

I don't even like Facebook but I can see the prevailing arguments are utterly deranged.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#79

Such a shame Facebook is considered a prestigious place to work. Sure, you can become a millionaire, but at what cost? Is this what you imagined you would do as a kid interested in math/computers/science?

I mean in like 2 years, half of which is in matchmaking after a six figure signing bonus. Not really a moral sacrifice. By the time you think it's a good idea to voice a contrarian opinion in a company group chat, you've already graduated.

Re: Facebook under fire over secret teen research

#80
post #62

A parallel between Facebook and Big Tobacco had never occurred to me until I read this: > In a move straight out of big tobacco's playbook, Facebook downplayed the negative effects of its product and hid this research from the public and even from members of Congress who specifically asked for it What would our world be like if it were illegal to have a social media account until you were 21 years old? Interesting to…

I would expect to see it struck down by a Supreme Court ruling. You cannot just declare speech a new drug to get around the first ammendment. An 18+ law may past constitutional muster however.
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