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Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

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Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#151
post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let people have their opinion. People said the same thing about Covid mandates and passports and look where we are. Comments like yours that attempt to ride the contrarian high horse are worse than failed predictions.

I will take that under advisement, but will nonetheless exercise my right to an opinion.

Last piece of advice, step out of your bubble and try to understand why people hold viewpoints that aren't your own instead of trashing them right out the gate. Ironic that you're accusing others of "intellectual laziness" when you go straight to calling people's arguments "11th grade class" behavior and can't even go the length to make a proper counter-argument.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#152

The two best ideas I've heard: - Require age verification by law and ban kids from using it. We ban kids from alcohol we should ban them from this. - Require ID verification by law but allow people to use a fake name. Fixes the bots issue and the kid depression issue. The market isn't going to get there by itself because of competition. If insta implements this then they lose market share to snap. So there's a strong…

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Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#153
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I find it weird for a whistleblower to be so "lib", as the kids say. What do you mean? I don't follow the latest slang, but I would've assumed this would mean "liberal", except I don't see what that would have to do with the rest of what you said.

libertarian, I believe, but if OC answers differently you can ignore this comment. There's some downvoting that I don't understand here. If the parent comment is referring to modern slang, lib is a ray on the political compass "lib/auth" "righ/left".

Lib means liberal, and not in the sense of classic liberal.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#154
post #130
post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

she was not a technical employee, and she will be set for life in ngo, media, or political career fields. facebook has many enemies. she has probably correctly calculated that she will not actually suffer any negative consequences for this; good for her

Most organizations do not like whistleblower types. No matter how right or noble you think you are/were, institutions hate accusations of malfeasance and scrutiny and will just pass on you. It's definitely a career-limiting move to go up against any big thing.

She’ll get a book deal, it’ll be okay. I’m certain she thought this through and has political connections that she made deals with. Remember, attacking social media is the same as when politicians sit around and debate Abortion. It’s mostly a non-issue (in the way Roe v Wade won’t ever be overturned, but will always be a discussion point to pretend like you are doing something without doing anything). Politicians won’t be able to curb social media, but they sure can act like they are on top of it. It’s the ultimate punching bag.

It’s the same way we have the stupid debt ceiling debate every few years. We know we’ll lift the debt ceiling, but for one month out of the year, all the politicians can grandstand about the budget deficit.

FB will be a trillion dollar company, and there’s nothing anyone will be able to do about it. The business model straight works, and money talks.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#155
post #55
post #31

To me this is a fake story being promoted as a way to further a political narrative. Nothing the whistleblower has revealed is shocking or previously unknown. Yes facebook tweaks an algorithm on your news feed to drive engagement and make money. Yes facebook allows some content that some would consider not to align with mainstream US narratives. My two cents this is an attempt to force facebook to kowtow to the US an…

Let's also remember that Facebook has decimated traditional media. Traditional media seems awfully excited by this "whistleblower"!

There is certainly some of that. Cosmopolitan magazine wishes they were the ones making money off of teenage girls insecurities instead of FB. I see this as more of a consumer protection transparency issue.

Facebook is saying that they are selling a product that makes the world better, but that isn't true. They are selling a product that prioritizes engagement over happiness. Maybe the same thing is true for Cosmopolitan magazine, but at least Cosmopolitan magazine isn't pretending that it is saving the world.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#156
post #31

To me this is a fake story being promoted as a way to further a political narrative. Nothing the whistleblower has revealed is shocking or previously unknown. Yes facebook tweaks an algorithm on your news feed to drive engagement and make money. Yes facebook allows some content that some would consider not to align with mainstream US narratives. My two cents this is an attempt to force facebook to kowtow to the US an…

Its a fake story but we've known its true for a long time? Wah?

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I don't want Facebook fixed and I do want Facebook harmed. I don't want the government to meddle with what types of things people can say online, I want them to ban the business model of stalking people online and selling intimate details of their lives. If the problem is Facebook choosing profits over public good, then cut off the profits. This is obvious. Bingo. Make stalking at scale the same as stalking by cree…

> Make stalking at scale the same as stalking by creeping in the bushes outside someone's house or following them around town. Tracking everything people do isn't a "business model"—it's a crime. But the government benefits from Facebook (and Google's) stalking ability. Another recent example from HN: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28747699

> But the government benefits from Facebook (and Google's) stalking ability.

That doesn’t make it ok

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#158
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Have you ever considered the possibility that people just don’t think what you’re saying makes sense?

If it "didn't make sense" they wouldn't have to ban it.

They ban simple questions when people are looking for answers.

They banned the Hunter laptop story even when the emails were DKIM verified and his business partner came out against him.

Look who they protect through these bans. They protect Biden, China, the establishment party. Do they ever try to protect YOU? No.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#159
post #45

I find it weird for a whistleblower to be so "lib", as the kids say. She said she 'loves' Facebook, and wants to fix it, not harm it. I don't want Facebook fixed and I do want Facebook harmed. I don't want the government to meddle with what types of things people can say online, I want them to ban the business model of stalking people online and selling intimate details of their lives. If the problem is Facebook choo…

> I do want Facebook harmed

So much hate...

Has Facebook really caused that much suffering to you? Seriously, just don't use it if you don't like it. For most people, it's just a social network where they post innocuous stories and stay connected with their friends.

Re: Whistleblower to Congress: Facebook products harm kids and democracy

#160
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

libertarian, I believe, but if OC answers differently you can ignore this comment. There's some downvoting that I don't understand here. If the parent comment is referring to modern slang, lib is a ray on the political compass "lib/auth" "righ/left".

Lib means liberal, and not in the sense of classic liberal.

Not if you mean "as the kids say". Sorry.
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