I'm resigning from my job at Facebook • Hacker News Board

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#271

Post by euix » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:05 PM UTC

baron_harkonnen wrote: post #110

I was supposed to interview at Facebook this week. My company is struggling and I expect I’ll be laid off before the year is over, so I figured that maybe I could push my ethical frustrations with the company aside and just go make some good money and ignore the fact that this company is undermining democracy and many of the things I value. Seeing resignations from existing Facebook employees really woke me up and ma…

In a similar boat here. I am not in danger of losing my job but I kinda thought I spend some time at Facebook see what "state of the art" looks like for a big tech company and then do something else a few years down the line. I passed their coding screen and I am waiting to schedule a full day interview but as far as the big tech companies go Facebook does get a bad rap. Although I think its unavoidable. I used work in NYC making not as much as a FANG worker but enough money to know, it's impossible to make that kind of cash without moral compromises. It's simply a feature of the capitalist system, companies like FB are just taking it to its logical extremes, the commodification of your society down to the individual level.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#272

Post by jeffrallen » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:07 PM UTC

Good luck dude. Hope the stain on your CV is not already too great.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#273

Post by akamaka » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:07 PM UTC

nightski wrote: post #126

I respect his decision. But I for one do not want our president, no matter who she or he is to be censored. I want to know exactly what they are saying and when. That includes any government official for that matter because it directly affects my voting decisions and actions.

You’re right to want to be able to look into what elected officials have said, but social media additionally allows posts to be shared, commented on, and spread widely.

There are thousands of elected officials, so it’s not simply a theoretical question to ask what should be done when one of them posts dangerous misinformation. Shouldn’t Facebook prevent it from spreading widely?

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#274

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:08 PM UTC

kiplkipl wrote: post #217

lizardking wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And?

Then it seems the poster does find some value in social media. I'm saying that HN is social media - descended from Reddit, in fact - to point out that the popular stance of Facebook being inherently evil seems to forgive this website for doing the same thing. This kind of scare has happened with all media: games, TV, film, fiction books. If there's a difference between the fast-food social media and this website, I'd…

[deleted]

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#275

Post by jmhnilbog » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:08 PM UTC

Thaxll wrote: post #251

swagonomixxx wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not really a huge stretch, his post on LinkedIn [0] has 200K+ reactions, and it's an understatement to say he'll have no trouble _at all_ getting a job within a few weeks. [0]: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/timothy-j-aveni_blacklivesmat...

I woudn't be so sure, not at FANG anyway. Those public stunts are no go for most big compagnies.

One more data point that no one with self-respect could work at a FAANG company?

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#276

Post by peruvian » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:08 PM UTC

seesawtron wrote: post #220

kiplkipl wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that is a notable categorisation then what is the difference that makes forums better?

I feel the trigger of social media is getting dopamine-like reward signal when people like/share your posts. Its underlying acceptance of "you" aspect of it, rather than the idea itself that you share. In a forum, being an anonymous user, it doesn't affect you as much on a personal level which allows for a more rational discussion by detaching the "personal" side of you from it. Of course, that is only true in theory…

This website literally has upvotes and comments - two ways millions of people get dopamine.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#277

Post by mbostleman » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:09 PM UTC

mchusma wrote: post #49

I don't understand why doesn't Facebook just: -Allow all posts -Allow users to customize what they want to see (e.g. "dont show me posts that glorify violence" or "only allow covid posts that match WHO guidelines" or "allow exceptions from political figures or of historical significance") and allow users to ban hide posts that are found untruthful by third parties (snopes, etc). To me effectively everyone wins. Faceb…

Because that would just be the Internet.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#278

Post by 0-O-0 » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:09 PM UTC

Tade0 wrote: post #118

blickentwapft wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s a highly privileged position to be in to make a personal stand and leave your $250,000 job for another $250,000 job. Not judging this way or that, just saying.

Imagine the damage to the business for not having someone creating more than $250k of value annually. Of course at Facebook's scale it's a small number, but given the damage to their reputation, they will have to take note once this crosses critical mass.

Unless he was in a very unusual position of leading some kind of research project related to Facebook's core business, there will be close to no damage. It's a huge corporation, not a bootstrapped startup, everyone is highly replaceable.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#279

Post by gfodor » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:09 PM UTC

It’s strange to me how the two things Facebook gets the most shit for, this and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, are far down the list of reasons that I see as reasons to abhor Facebook. In both cases there are sane arguments to be made in Facebook’s defense, unlike other aspects like their decision on their business model. However, if politics is what it takes for the exodus to begin, so be it.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#280

Post by sharadov » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 3:09 PM UTC

blickentwapft wrote: post #14

ordinaryradical wrote: post #8

He’s standing up for what he believes. You can disagree with his convictions, but you should admire anyone who risks personal and financial consequences for sticking to their guns. That’s what actual morality is—not just a “belief” that is talked about but acted upon even when the results will be costly.

It’s a highly privileged position to be in to make a personal stand and leave your $250,000 job for another $250,000 job. Not judging this way or that, just saying.

No large company will touch this kid with a 10 ft pole, all that messaging that they want disrupters is media hogwash. He is burnt, pure and simple