Things that I think will be important in the next decade • Hacker News Board

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#61

Post by dang » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

xiphias2 wrote: post #35

fourstar wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HN is essentially a hive mind cult. Look at my join date. At some point, you could dissent with your own opinion. Nowadays it’s downvotes and outrage. Shields up — ready for the downvotes. Not a great model for FB to follow. You’ll start getting DMs from people like “dang” telling you to behave, LOL.

As for me, I didn't get a DM, just a shadow ban for a controversial comment (xiphias is my original user name). A few months after not ever being voted up somebody wrote to me that she sees that I'm shadow banned even though I'm writing constructive comments. At the same time I don't know anything even comparable to HN, so I shy away from controversial wording / topics, and this way things that I write goes through t…

You weren't shadowbanned—we told you explicitly: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15725493.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#62

Post by rhizome » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:13 AM UTC

hellisothers wrote: post #54

slg wrote: post #21

>I don't think private companies should be making so many important decisions that touch on fundamental democratic values... As long as our governments are seen as legitimate, rules established through a democratic process could add more legitimacy and trust than rules defined by companies alone. This is a big chicken and egg problem. Mark wants the government to set the rules but what happens when Facebook doesn't m…

Mark wants the government to enact rules that only huge established players can possibly comply with in order to stamp out competition. If FB just went ahead and did these things themselves another player could enter the field in their place.

And he wants a seat at the table where those rules are designed. It's all of a piece, Facebook's place in the law and the kind of bog-standard Econ 101 regulatory capture I'd expect from Zuckerberg.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#63

Post by rhizome » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:14 AM UTC

neandrake wrote: post #19

awb wrote: post #12

> I don't think private companies should be making so many important decisions that touch on fundamental democratic values. > One way to address this is through regulation. > I've called for new regulation in these areas and over the next decade I hope we get clearer rules for the internet. Surprising to hear a near-monopoly call for regulation. > Another and perhaps even better way to address this is by establishing…

> Surprising to hear a near-monopoly call for regulation. Regulation can often mean a higher bar to entry for competitors. Compliance costs time/money and Facebook has plenty.

Is there even an example of regulations decreasing the cost of entry?

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#64

Post by rhizome » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:17 AM UTC

CptFribble wrote: post #55

Look at everything Mark's overseen at Facebook over the last decade. The unimaginably deep dark pools of data collection, the targeting, Internet.org's absolutely transparent attempt to get developing nations trapped on Facebook under the guise of philanthropy, the complete non-response to extremism on their own platform until way after it was a problem, the list goes on and on. That's the last 10 years. Now Mark say…

There is nothing other than stereotypes of The Internet to suggest that Facebook is existing by any other terms than the ideals of the US Republican party.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#65

Post by rhizome » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:17 AM UTC

redis_mlc wrote: post #24

dvduval wrote: post #4

Since I am self taught Mandarin, I thought it was novel when he did too, and I saw his humility when he tried to speak it. Now he is painful to read for me. First, he lost my trust. Second, it's esoteric, nothing very concrete. Perhaps our ability to be anywhere through augmented reality sounds interesting, but not all that novel.

> I thought it was novel when he did too He thought learning Mandarin would help him conquer China. lol.

He's still young.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#66

Post by brycehamrick » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:18 AM UTC

Nextgrid wrote: post #11

So his main point is a private & potentially decentralised social platform. He didn't address how the platform is going to be funded though. Advertising as we know it is well and truly dead, and I don't think Facebook or Zuckerberg are the right entities to push for change in this field. They've already demonstrated their bad faith and maliciousness. There are ways to make advertising ethical, but Facebook definitely…

It’s conceivable FB could develop something like Minds where a platform-specific cryptocurrency (ie Libra) is used to buy views.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#67

Post by danfang » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:19 AM UTC

I agree we need a new private social platform. But, I hope it isn't Facebook that wins that race.

I've been working on a social network that I believe represents "generational change" - no ads, no clickbait news, no public profiles. It goes against the grain of what current social networks are doing.

Check it out at https://get.thread-app.com.

It's still early days, but I would appreciate any feedback!

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#68

Post by dang » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:20 AM UTC

fourstar wrote: post #27

xiphias2 wrote: post #22

,,Today, many important institutions in our society still aren't doing enough to address the issues younger generations face -- from climate change to runaway costs of education, housing and healthcare. '' Maybe there are ways to improve the quality of discussions _within_ Facebook to help solve these problems. It works for Hacker News, so I don't think it would be impossible. Of course indirect revenue from oil comp…

HN is essentially a hive mind cult. Look at my join date. At some point, you could dissent with your own opinion. Nowadays it’s downvotes and outrage. Shields up — ready for the downvotes. Not a great model for FB to follow. You’ll start getting DMs from people like “dang” telling you to behave, LOL.

I'm always curious about claims that HN is degenerating. Where are those dissenting opinions of which you speak?

I took a look, and didn't find any. I did see several early comments by your account, including its very first one, that were downvoted. Which comments were downvoted vs. not seemed consistent with what would get downvoted today, though today they'd probably get downvoted more—probably because there are many more readers who can downvote things.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#69

Post by jophde » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:24 AM UTC

cmdshiftf4 wrote: post #52

>"at some point in the 2020s, we will get breakthrough augmented reality glasses that will redefine our relationship with technology." Constant video surveillance, direct-to-eyes on-glass advertising, targeted advertising beamed on every approved spot, interests profiling via retina movements/focus and God knows what else will undoubtedly come about if AR glasses become "cool" and ubiquitous like mobile phones. Maybe…

Personally I have been moved to only use a desktop computer with Linux on it and switched to a Go Flip 3 dumb phone. It's helped my sanity quite a bit. I'm convinced tech peaked in 90s and the desktop dream was the best one.

Re: Things that I think will be important in the next decade

#70

Post by newscracker » Fri, Jan 10, 2020, 2:27 AM UTC

What a bunch of crock! It seems like it’d always remain too much to ask for Mark to understand things and look at the big picture for the good of everyone. IMO, this post yet again makes a good case for breaking up the company.

Most of this post is about how Facebook is looking for new ways to make money, and just a few sentences about large problems like diseases or poverty.

He carelessly uses words like “private” and “decentralized” in dishonest senses to mean that:

a) Facebook (the company) will provide you these solutions and misname them as private and decentralized

b) Facebook (the company) will still run on ads and profiling users.

Augmented and virtual reality — yet another way for Facebook to surveil people.

Asking for regulations as if he wants it. What he has wanted from the time Facebook has come under scrutiny by lawmakers is regulatory capture...getting laws passed in a way that prevents competitors from even trying, while Facebook can continue to claim that it’s doing its best with “independent” boards and committees and escape penalties and punishments.

Anyone wanting something better for the future can only hope that Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg get out of running Facebook the company in any manner by 2030, if we go by wishlists by decades.