Facebook going down meant more than just a social network being unavailable

Post by Wowfunhappy » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 2:12 AM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #50

Johnny555 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is "accessible"? I can call anywhere in the USA for free, and its $0.01/minute to call an overseas relative, yet I almost never call.

Accessible would be the mobile networks allowing people to call overseas for $0.01 per minute. I would not dare try to call an international number via ATT/Verizon/T-Mobile outside of Canada/Mexico, because I would expect to pay at least $10 for the call if not more. I do not know where one would get $0.01 per minute international calls from the US, but it is most likely not as easy as an app on your smartphone.

Post by paxys » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 2:15 AM UTC

darth_avocado wrote: post #24

I know it’s hard for a lot of people but why do we automatically blame everything on Facebook? The inaccessibility to WhatsApp completely brings life to a standstill for a lot of people across the world. Isn’t that more of a failure on the part of the governments, people and companies that exist there? How is a app that needs access to internet somehow a bigger necessity than the basic function of the device the app…

Post by gruez » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 2:43 AM UTC

paxys wrote: post #53

darth_avocado wrote: post #24

I know it’s hard for a lot of people but why do we automatically blame everything on Facebook? The inaccessibility to WhatsApp completely brings life to a standstill for a lot of people across the world. Isn’t that more of a failure on the part of the governments, people and companies that exist there? How is a app that needs access to internet somehow a bigger necessity than the basic function of the device the app…

We did focus on making the services accessible and affordable. Then phone providers and ISPs took the goverment funds and went "nah". As late as 2005 I was paying AT&T ~$9/minute to call my family abroad and up to $1 per text. If it weren't for tech companies like Skype/WhatsApp/Facebook/Google I have no doubt that would still be the case today.

Post by listless » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 2:46 AM UTC

azangru wrote: post #16

Why is the conclusion in that tweet "the billionth reason to break down and regulate Facebook" rather than "the billionth reason not to use whatsapp as the de facto phone and text messaging platform"?

Post by robbedpeter » Tue, Oct 05, 2021, 2:51 AM UTC

gruez wrote: post #55

paxys wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We did focus on making the services accessible and affordable. Then phone providers and ISPs took the goverment funds and went "nah". As late as 2005 I was paying AT&T ~$9/minute to call my family abroad and up to $1 per text. If it weren't for tech companies like Skype/WhatsApp/Facebook/Google I have no doubt that would still be the case today.

>We did focus on making the services accessible and affordable. Then phone providers and ISPs took the goverment funds and went "nah" 1. I hear this narrative a lot. is there more to this? I find it hard to believe that the government gave phone providers/ISPs $$$ no strings attached. 2. giving $$$ to companies to expand their infrastructure make sense to increase accessibility, but doesn't to make it more affordable…