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Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

theintercept.com

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Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#141

Post by jmyeet »

LAC-Tech wrote: post #136
jmyeet wrote: post #22

[flagged]

[flagged]

> Please do not insult colonialism by comparing it with Zionism

My language was intentional and precise. I didn't say "colonialism" (which I'm not defending BTW). I said "settler colonialism" [1], which is precisely what has gone on here. From the Nakba to the 1967 war to the West Bank settlers, you have over 75 years of ethnic cleansing and displacement. That's ettler colonialism.

I can't speak to whatever colonial society you're from. You don't say. I will say I struggle to think of examples of where colonialism worked out well for the colonized however.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Settler_colonialism

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#144

Post by sejje »

jeffbee wrote: post #59
tptacek wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It technically is! The ACLU has a model ordinance called CCOPS, which it encourages municipalities to pass (I got my own muni to pass a version of it last year), and it includes an expansive definition of "surveillance" that definitely includes tools that read public posts on social media. Importantly, CCOPS doesn't forbid surveillance; it simply requires new instantiations of it to be approved at an open board meeti…

As you say, expansive. As in: it expands the definition of surveillance in a way that isn't widely accepted.

Expansive means large, vast.

Not necessarily growing.

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#145

Post by jackyinger »

Aloisius wrote: post #131
Centigonal wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember, back when cannabis was illegal in most states, a common argument was that white and black people reported using cannabis at the same rate when surveyed. However, many, many more black people ended up in prison for it. Here is a survey of US youths that supports this premise: https://monitoringthefuture.org/data/panel/demographic-subgr...

I'm confused. That doesn't appear to show the same rates between demographics. It appears to show generally more frequent use in men than women, younger than older and until somewhat recently, white than black or hispanic.

The data backs up the grandparent’s post that blacks and Hispanics were disproportionately punished for their use compared to whites.

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#146

Post by jeffbee »

sejje wrote: post #144
jeffbee wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As you say, expansive. As in: it expands the definition of surveillance in a way that isn't widely accepted.

Expansive means large, vast. Not necessarily growing.

Not necessarily. I agree with that. But in American English usage it is distinct from your meaning, which is more aligned with "extensive". The first entry for "expansive" in my usage dictionary is "tending to expand". The main reason to choose the word is to communicate growth.

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#147

Post by [deleted] »

EA-3167 wrote: post #91
tptacek wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How? What expectation of privacy do you have walking down the street, or in your public social media posts?

I've learned that when people refer to "constitutional rights/protections" outside of a strict legal setting and framework, it's almost always disappointingly predictable and devoid of merit. The gulf between the law as its written and interpreted through the courts, and what people with a casual interest believe it to be, is really impressively vast. At the end of the day if you want privacy, don't broadcast your ac…

[deleted]

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#148

Post by jmyeet »

For a long time tech people lived in a bubble believing the idealistic BS spun by Silicon Valley. What we've seen over the last few years is how the mask has come off. There are two factors at play here:

1. The wealthy, and by extension Silicon Valley founders, inevitably end up moving in lockstep with US government policy. Wealthy people inevitably become conservative to protect and grow their wealth. Any idealism is a temporary recruiting tool. Ultimately, all tech companies become defense contractors and end up aiding the surveillance state, repressing speech and supporting gencoide (eg Myanmar); and

2. Transhumanism [1]. I can remember hearing about this from tech people a decade ago. I really had no idea how popular this was (and has become). Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Peter Thiel are all transhumanists. The central idea here is "what can I do now to ensure the best future for the gene pool?" And of course all these weirdos think their genes are superior because they're rich. It's why the likes of Elon can't stop having children.

It's not surprising Dataminr (who I'd honestly never heard of until now) is providing material support to repression. This is every tech company.

[1]: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2goBEvS/

Re: Dataminr tracked Gaza-related protests

#150

Post by milesrout »

tptacek wrote: post #28
jeffbee wrote: post #7

It is not "surveillance" when the cops see your tweets.

It technically is! The ACLU has a model ordinance called CCOPS, which it encourages municipalities to pass (I got my own muni to pass a version of it last year), and it includes an expansive definition of "surveillance" that definitely includes tools that read public posts on social media. Importantly, CCOPS doesn't forbid surveillance; it simply requires new instantiations of it to be approved at an open board meeti…

It "technically is" if you redefine it to include it. In other words, it isn't.
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