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Facebook chooses profits over people

peoplesworld.org

111–120 of 253 posts

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#111
post #59
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I beg to differ. The purpose of the company is what those in power of the company decide it to be. While in the absolute majority of cases it is profit, there _are_ exceptions. Most notable exception would be SpaceX, which has its sights set on Mars transportation, with profits mainly serving as the stepping stones.

That works because the purpose — at least currently — doesn't actually cannibalise on the profits.

Yes and no. By definition, the company does what those in power make it do, even if it is against the profits. No company can operate independently with zero margin however.

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#112

These headlines naïvely miss the point. The problem isn’t Facebook, a private company, seeking profits. The problem is its deeply-entrenched psychopathy and pathological record of lying [1]. And it really appears to be a Facebook problem. Instagram for Kids wasn’t the fever dream of a deranged Instagrammer. It was pushed by a Facebook implant [2]. I don’t know if being in proximity to Facebook’s leadership corrupts p…

This is overly reductionist. “Those people are just intrinsically evil and do bad things for the pure joy they get from being evil” is pretty much never the case. Yes, it makes you feel good and righteous to proclaim that, but real people and real life are more complex.

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#113
post #101

That's any for profit company no matter what anyone believes. Any company its only purpose is profit. It's the same with company HR it's there to protect the company. It's not personnel anymore it's called human resources for a reason you're just company inventory. And "corporate culture" there is none they are not your family there is no culture they'll fire you in a heartbeat.

> That's any for profit company no matter what anyone believes. Any company its only purpose is profit. That's a myth. See for example 1. this aptly titled article: Corporations Don’t Have to Maximize Profits https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/04/16/what-are-co... 2. Tim Cook at Apple: > The shareholder asked Cook about the company’s renewable energy efforts and told him that Apple should only undertake such…

> Tim Cook at Apple.

Please, don't. Pushing CSAM, and removing apps for oppressive governments.

We as collective consciousness must stop idolizing corporations. Corporations are for profit. The lack of regulations and effective legislation is the problem. The biggest problem is that a lot of legislative mechanics are affected by shares ownership and lobbing.

And we find this "a normal behaviour".

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if I hoard billions of dollars If you literally "hoard," as in store it up and hide it away [1], yes, that would be crazy. But nobody does that. Those billions are invested and working. [1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoard

I understand people need money to make money, I get it, but surly we could place a cap on it. The super rich are no different from the kings and queens of old, they just are called by different names like CEO or some other three letter thing.

> we could place a cap on it

Why? What benefit does society gain from telling Elon Musk, years ago, no more money, go buy cars and nice dinners, you're not allowed to start SpaceX or get involved with Tesla?

Also, it's trivially sidestepped. Japan is a culture with notoriously uncompetitive executive pay. As a result, one, its ambitious tend to not do their work there. And two, many firms have the entire family on the payroll. (Beyond that, a deep system of patronage.)

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#115
post #112

These headlines naïvely miss the point. The problem isn’t Facebook, a private company, seeking profits. The problem is its deeply-entrenched psychopathy and pathological record of lying [1]. And it really appears to be a Facebook problem. Instagram for Kids wasn’t the fever dream of a deranged Instagrammer. It was pushed by a Facebook implant [2]. I don’t know if being in proximity to Facebook’s leadership corrupts p…

This is overly reductionist. “Those people are just intrinsically evil and do bad things for the pure joy they get from being evil” is pretty much never the case. Yes, it makes you feel good and righteous to proclaim that, but real people and real life are more complex.

> Those people are just intrinsically evil and do bad things for the pure joy they get from being evil

Nobody said that. The assertion is that Facebook's culture either attracts or breeds people unbound by conventional morality.

They lie. They break laws. They do things nobody else would find conscionable that makes them a single-stop shop for pen testing the limits of the world's regulatory and legal systems. (The latter not being generally bad, though it is in the specific cases involving Facebook, e.g. Instagram for Kids.)

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should leave this site immediately and never dare return.

LoL why? surly we can measure profit in other forms then money. It's 2nd meaning is simply advantage, benefit. Example "there is no profit screaming at referees from the bench"

Of course "we" can, but we at this site certainly won't, and the relentless tide of half-baked rationalization to this end can drown the weak swimmer.

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#118

Facebook as a corporation is merely an extension of Mark's values (or lack of them, thereof) and priorities. Why is this surprising?

It's not. And expecting FB/Mark to correct poor behavior is a losing strategy. The only way to rein them in is through regulation.

Re: Facebook chooses profits over people

#120
post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> if I hoard billions of dollars If you literally "hoard," as in store it up and hide it away [1], yes, that would be crazy. But nobody does that. Those billions are invested and working. [1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hoard

Well as long as it's technically not hoarding, problem solved! Nobody is hungry anymore :) Come on mate you know what we mean.. I'm not even calling to get shot of billionaires, I just want them to pay their damn taxes

> Come on mate you know what we mean

I know what you mean, and I agree with you. But OP was literally calling for a wealth cap [1].

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28956273

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