YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud • Hacker News Board

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#151

Post by dylan604 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:30 PM UTC

gameswithgo wrote: post #82

PeterStuer wrote: post #64

Regardless of what you believe to be 'The Truth', has suppression or censorship ever worked to quench dissonance or convince skeptical people, again, whether right or wrong, that there really is 'nothing to see here'.

There are many examples out of there of people ending up in some weird conspiracy theory rabbit hole, and often it starts with some youtube video, or post on facebook. Mothers who have lost sons, wives who have lost husbands. They have seen them turn into crazy people (examples: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/14/qanon-f... ) If those videos are not as present on youtube to begin with, perhaps fewer…

Conspiracy peddlers and those that follow them have been around long before YouTube and social media. Some extraordinarily bizarre ideas have been published on Xeroxed/mimeographed 'zines sent out via snail mail. While social media definitely makes it easier, it's not the only way for information to disseminate.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#152

Post by AnimalMuppet » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:30 PM UTC

rayiner wrote: post #45

flowerlad wrote: post #39

20 years ago reputed organizations such as newspapers, radio stations and television informed people the truth. Conspiracy theories were fringe and didn't have a way to spread. Today more than half the population believes in conspiracy theories because they learn the "truth" from disreputable sources on social media. This is dangerous for society. I am glad social media companies are taking action themselves, instead…

20 years ago, and before that, liberals complained that the media, schools, etc., were lying to the public.

Liberals? Conservatives complained too!

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#153

Post by munchbunny » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:30 PM UTC

bradenb wrote: post #105

Doesn't this just feed into people's fears about conspiracies? I can't understand why people are signing off on this. Let the Like/Dislike button do its job.

Perhaps? But those people probably already think Youtube's part of any number of conspiracies already.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#154

Post by AlexandrB » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:30 PM UTC

misnome wrote: post #76

PeterStuer wrote: post #64

Regardless of what you believe to be 'The Truth', has suppression or censorship ever worked to quench dissonance or convince skeptical people, again, whether right or wrong, that there really is 'nothing to see here'.

I doubt it, but it _might_ help prevent radicalisation of newer people by making it harder to randomly encounter.

There's nothing "random" about how people encounter this stuff. Most engagement-driven recommendation engines seem to love suggesting inflammatory clickbait. Banning one specific subset of this kind of content will not solve the problem, the same people will just be radicalized by some new nonsense. This is pure CYA by Youtube.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#155

Post by mbesto » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:31 PM UTC

PeterStuer wrote: post #64

Regardless of what you believe to be 'The Truth', has suppression or censorship ever worked to quench dissonance or convince skeptical people, again, whether right or wrong, that there really is 'nothing to see here'.

> has suppression or censorship ever worked to quench dissonance or convince skeptical people, again, whether right or wrong

Say this is true. How would you recommend measuring this?

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#156

Post by tfehring » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:31 PM UTC

slg wrote: post #143

bradenb wrote: post #105

Doesn't this just feed into people's fears about conspiracies? I can't understand why people are signing off on this. Let the Like/Dislike button do its job.

Youtube's recommendation algorithm means that the people who see these videos are already predisposed to believe what is in them. That overrides the usefulness of the Like and Dislike buttons.

Also, even if people outside of those bubbles see and dislike those videos, the Dislike button is more likely to feed and reinforce their primary audience's persecution complex than to cause them to reconsider.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#157

Post by zionic » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:31 PM UTC

bradenb wrote: post #105

Doesn't this just feed into people's fears about conspiracies? I can't understand why people are signing off on this. Let the Like/Dislike button do its job.

This plays exactly into their narrative. "If they didn't steal it, they wouldn't have to work so hard to cover it up!"

Megacorps should never become arbiters of truth.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#158

Post by ralusek » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:31 PM UTC

gtrhtrhtrhtr wrote: post #89

PeterStuer wrote: post #64

Regardless of what you believe to be 'The Truth', has suppression or censorship ever worked to quench dissonance or convince skeptical people, again, whether right or wrong, that there really is 'nothing to see here'.

in France you can get fined or go to jail for saying fascist stuff, works pretty well.

What is "fascist" stuff? Earlier this year, people protesting coronavirus lockdowns were called "fascists." People protesting against government authority were called fascists.

Berkeley had to spend $600k in security to allow Ben Shapiro to speak, because "anti fascists" were accusing him of white supremacy, and being a fascist, and violently attempting to prevent him from speaking. And this was after they had successfully prevented him from speaking earlier in the year. Similar "anti fascists" pulled the fire alarm on Janice Fiamengo for speaking about men's issues. Warren Farrel had a similar experience, with people absolutely berating the attendants of one of his lectures for their support of fascism.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#159

Post by invalidusernam3 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:31 PM UTC

bradenb wrote: post #105

Doesn't this just feed into people's fears about conspiracies? I can't understand why people are signing off on this. Let the Like/Dislike button do its job.

I think you're overestimating the average internet user. A lot of people think that because they view something online, it gives it authority. They fail to understand anyone can (and does) post content online.

I've often thought this way of thinking is a remnant of the media we've consumed in the past, where there were higher standards because producing media was more exclusive. Think print, radio, TV. On those mediums not just anyone could produce content.

Re: YouTube to remove content that alleges widespread election fraud

#160

Post by dylan604 » Wed, Dec 09, 2020, 6:32 PM UTC

howmayiannoyyou wrote: post #110

We are very fortunate to have the algorithms, employees & management of Youtube/Google watching out for us. We're not intelligent enough to view a video and decide for ourselves what is fact v. propaganda v. entertainment. Hopefully some day we will have the same protections the CCP gives its people with even more content moderation. Thank you Google - you're the nanny the American people and the world always hoped f…

While the sarcasm is dripping, it's also true. There clearly are people that can view a video and realize that it's is 100% BS. Yet, at the same time, there are other people that will watch it and 100% believe it. If it wasn't effective, it wouldn't be used.