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Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

economist.com

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Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#51

Post by bjt2n3904 »

whitepaint wrote: post #21

I don't really know much about US politics, but could this recent attack on Facebook be a political move and a power grab? Attack FB so they block certain groups / certain topics and promote what the regulators want? I listened to the whistle-blower's testimony and I didn't hear any reasonable solutions (in my opinion at least; I am a software developer myself). Also, it seems there might be some regulations imposed.…

It absolutely can be, and I think it is.

The left has blamed the election of Trump on Facebook, chiefly for spreading "misinformation".

Facebook should have responded to this charge by asserting they are not arbiters of truth, but they happily took up that mantle.

But it's not enough, and it never will be. The goal is to regulate Facebook into oblivion.

Others may disagree with my assessment of motivation. Plenty other "reasons" exist, all revolving around the specter of "misinformation". See for yourself, the recent bad press about negative impact on children is just the cherry on top.

All of this falls when the standard is personal responsibility. You should decide what is trustworthy, or misleading. You should decide how much time you (and your children) spend on social media.

But the going mantra is that this freedom is "harmful", and must be regulated. That's the end game, and your assessment is dead on.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#52

Post by hunterb123 »

whitepaint wrote: post #21

I don't really know much about US politics, but could this recent attack on Facebook be a political move and a power grab? Attack FB so they block certain groups / certain topics and promote what the regulators want? I listened to the whistle-blower's testimony and I didn't hear any reasonable solutions (in my opinion at least; I am a software developer myself). Also, it seems there might be some regulations imposed.…

Yes it is and yes they do.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#53

Post by Hamuko »

vmception wrote: post #43
Hamuko wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Facebook went down for 6 hours and they are back to using it the next day without a second of hesitation. Why is that relevant at all? If I have a blackout for six hours, I'm gonna go back to using electricity once it's back.

YoUre aDDIcTeD to ElecTriCity

Guilty as charged.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#54

Post by gkilmain »

metalliqaz wrote: post #39
shoto_io wrote: post #3

No. That’s what people like us and all the main stream media hope for. But: most people I know don’t have the slightest clue that Insta and WhatsApp belong to the FB group. And even worse: most of them don’t give a shit about the reputation of FB. They just want to send messages and share pictures through those apps.

My question is... why do people like us continue to work there? They know what is going on there more than anyone.

I have a 40 something friend who started working there a few years a go. He has a family. He mostly went for stability, good pay, good benefits, predictable long term outlook. Not working insane hours. He loves it. Actually said he feels valued as an engineer.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#55

Post by kongin »

mchanson wrote: post #28
shoto_io wrote: post #3

No. That’s what people like us and all the main stream media hope for. But: most people I know don’t have the slightest clue that Insta and WhatsApp belong to the FB group. And even worse: most of them don’t give a shit about the reputation of FB. They just want to send messages and share pictures through those apps.

Article doesn't disagree with your take: "The firm risks joining the ranks of corporate untouchables like big tobacco. If that idea takes hold, Facebook risks losing its young, liberal staff. Even if its ageing customers stick with the social network, Facebook has bigger ambitions that could be foiled if public opinion continues to curdle."

Facebook has gotten worse with its young liberal staff. And I don't mean in the dark patterns for more clicks sense, I mean in the cpu cycles to do a basic operation.

Maybe it's time for the old crusty developers making $60k on embedded systems to take a shot at it.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#56

Post by JumpCrisscross »

shoto_io wrote: post #3

No. That’s what people like us and all the main stream media hope for. But: most people I know don’t have the slightest clue that Insta and WhatsApp belong to the FB group. And even worse: most of them don’t give a shit about the reputation of FB. They just want to send messages and share pictures through those apps.

> most of them don’t give a shit about the reputation of FB

This is close to a straw man argument. Nobody claims users will abandon Facebook.

The article posits, instead, strengthening headwinds. Headwinds in hiring (there is already a double-digit premium Facebook must pay for talent). From recurring whistleblowing, and its impact on morale and productivity. Headwinds in projects and partnerships, like Libre/Diem being dead on arrival because Facebook brought it to the table. Senior leadership knowing they will, at least once in their career, be hauled in front of Congress for a nationally-televised grilling because their employer's unpopularity [1] makes it a popular punching bag. Headwinds in M&A.

People didn't stop using oil after the Standard Oil break-up. Nor Windows after its antitrust brush or cigarettes after the tobacco master settlement. The power of those companies was simply sharply reduced.

[1] https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/6/22702798/verge-tech-surve...

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#57

Post by donatj »

vmception wrote: post #40
donatj wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean as a 30 something who knows their evil, that’s what I use it for too. I’ve gone to close my account a bunch of times, but for so many old friends it’s my only link to them, I could not bring myself to do it.

You can recreate your social graph at any time by telling it your phone number, or email, or friending the same people. Any app is doing that and will find other friends on that app with shared contacts. You can even do it in a future FB account. With that knowledge it is easy for me to delete FB account, even if there are active group chats there.

I mean there’s also 15 years of memories going back to me in college. There’s sentimental attachment there.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#58

Post by dogman144 »

geodel wrote: post #46
mchanson wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Article doesn't disagree with your take: "The firm risks joining the ranks of corporate untouchables like big tobacco. If that idea takes hold, Facebook risks losing its young, liberal staff. Even if its ageing customers stick with the social network, Facebook has bigger ambitions that could be foiled if public opinion continues to curdle."

Where will that young liberal staff go work for? I suspect once too much of good life perks are not available at FB maybe their outlook itself change a bit.

They'll go work for the AANG in FAANG. If they're good enough to get into FB, they've good enough for the other 4+. FB transferred from a "change the world" to a "change my finances and make my resume" place several yers ago. Several other companies fill in the latter qualification.

Also, and ya I know how this sounds, but if Coinbase keeps it up they and similar companies will and are grabbing some of the same talent.

Re: Facebook is nearing a reputational point of no return

#59

Post by sebow »

shoto_io wrote: post #3

No. That’s what people like us and all the main stream media hope for. But: most people I know don’t have the slightest clue that Insta and WhatsApp belong to the FB group. And even worse: most of them don’t give a shit about the reputation of FB. They just want to send messages and share pictures through those apps.

I think you're kind of deluding yourself if you think MSM wants FB to die or lose influence.They're(FB) partly much of the reason MSM hasn't straight-out died after they tried catching up to more what used to be alternative "news sources".

What the new whistleblower "leaked" isn't something revealing at all.And the frightening thing is that what she a argues for is even more disturbing: more regulation. This would be fine if FB&friends would be definitely declared to not be public spheres (which on one hand they're technically not because they're private entities, but on the other hand [wrongfully] have the public sphere status in law, when it comes to information).

What actually is news about FB is the reported 1.5BN hack, which nobody talks about besides this "old-news". which is mainly either a regurgitated attempt _by_ facebook to somehow resurrect their image through this, or the US gov trying to gain even more pressure on private companies.Nobody talks about the fact that our 'whistleblower' openly donated a lot of money to DNC, and a quick research on her stinks of collusion, either politically or against against facebook itself.

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