How Twitter moderated the Covid debate

Post by smohare » Tue, Dec 27, 2022, 3:35 AM UTC

AustinDev wrote: post #25

RyanShook wrote: post #20

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I think the longest lasting legacy of covid will be the distrust it created for big government, big pharma, and big tech.

I am a conspiracy theorist[1], and this was all well known since before we even did '2 weeks to slow the spread'. I'm just glad some of the mainstream folks are figuring it out now. [1]: The term "conspiracy theory" is itself the subject of a conspiracy theory, which claims the term was popularized by the CIA in order to discredit conspiratorial believers, particularly critics of the Warren Commission, by making them…

Post by rtpg » Tue, Dec 27, 2022, 3:35 AM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #78

mhh__ wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know. It should (and I think has) increase distrust in social media and big tech/gov but distrust in pharma? I don't know. I'm still waiting for everyone to drop dead from vaccine related injuries (I've paid this more earnest attention than most people this glib at least) — most people, I think correctly for the most part, regard the nu-antivax thing that came about during covid to basically be the realm of i…

And they haven't stopped agitating. And probably won't stop. Which makes me wonder: with the degree of weaponization of the internet on the side of the anti-vaxxers will the next pandemic be 'the big one'? Enough people that refuse vaccination and you are looking at an entirely different probable outcome. Here in NL a small army of foaming-at-the-mouth conspiracy theorists did their utmost to undermine the vaccinatio…

Post by jacquesm » Tue, Dec 27, 2022, 3:36 AM UTC

PartiallyTyped wrote: post #85

RyanShook wrote: post #20

I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I think the longest lasting legacy of covid will be the distrust it created for big government, big pharma, and big tech.

I am fairly certain this is an American thing, or more broadly an issue in countries with lower levels of education and overall mistrust in their governments which clearly don’t work for them. The basis of my argument is counter example countries such as Denmark. In Denmark, we all got vaccinated, and as soon as a second booster (3rd jab) was available, the government coordinated the distribution with pharmacies to a…

Post by kodyo » Tue, Dec 27, 2022, 3:36 AM UTC

jacquesm wrote: post #80

kodyo wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HN readers lean toward the establishment narratives.

I wonder for how long that will still be the case. The fringe is getting more and more grip on HN and we may well be fighting a losing battle.

Post by andrew_ » Tue, Dec 27, 2022, 3:36 AM UTC

HDThoreaun wrote: post #87

matheusmoreira wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No need. All they have to do is remain neutral and avoid "moderating" at all. Just because the CDC said something does not automatically make it true. It's a valuable authority but it's not the Ministry of Truth. People are allowed to question and contradict it.

No one uses unmoderated platforms. Twitter has a fiduciary duty to make sure their platform has a good reputation with users and advertisers. That means moderation.