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

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#81

Post by zirror » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

Fulltext for people who blocked facebook:

I'm resigning from my job at Facebook.

For years, President Trump has enjoyed an exception to Facebook’s Community Standards; over and over he posts abhorrent, targeted messages that would get any other Facebook user suspended from the platform. He’s permitted to break the rules, since his political speech is “newsworthy.”

“when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”

Mark always told us that he would draw the line at speech that calls for violence. He showed us on Friday that this was a lie. Facebook will keep moving the goalposts every time Trump escalates, finding excuse after excuse not to act on increasingly dangerous rhetoric. Since Friday, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand and process the decision not to remove the racist, violent post Trump made Thursday night, but Facebook, complicit in the propagation of weaponized hatred, is on the wrong side of history.

I cannot keep excusing Facebook’s behavior. Facebook is providing a platform that enables politicians to radicalize individuals and glorify violence, and we are watching the United States succumb to the same kind of social media-fueled division that has gotten people killed in the Philippines, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. I’m scared for my country and I’m done trying to justify this.

My last day will be June 12th. If you have contacts in the San Francisco Bay Area looking to recruit a software engineer, please DM me.

#blacklivesmatter

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#82

Post by thrownaway954 » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

this dude is just being an attention grabber now. yesterday he posted to linkedin and now today facebook. what's next? a frontpage ad in the nyt or a billboard in times square? great... you quit your job on your beliefs, who really gives a sh*t.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#83

Post by wojcikstefan » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 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.

I think it's still a respectable sacrifice. a) There's often an emotional toll to looking for a new position, b) even if the job search only takes a month, that's 250/12 = $20k of a financial hit, which is not a trivial loss.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#84

Post by valleyjo » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 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…

I agree. But this would reduce engagement and therefore profits. Do you see FB opting in to reducing profits?

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#85

Post by newbie578 » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

Good for you man. Especially if you think Facebook, or rest of Silicon Valley (except Jack Dorsey) cares.

Does anyone know if we can already apply for his "soon to be empty" position? :)

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#86

Post by tibbydudeza » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

pedro_hab wrote: post #62

This is all nonsense to me. Trump said if you loot, you get shot. Isn't this how our society works? If you steal you may end up getting shot. People are trying to react as if he said "if you walk down the street you'll get shot". Sensitive topic, I guess. * EDIT: The nonsense part is people calling Trump to be censored, like OP. I am not condoning violence but I do think looting may lead to it, it's not too far from…

Yes in a fascist society sure but the use of deadly force by the police is usually only when a life is in danger and not any property.

Usually non lethal means are employed when the police are following SOP i.e teargas/water or a baton charge.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#87

Post by rodiger » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

MiroF wrote: post #45

samizdis wrote: post #13

Well said and all best wishes for the future. > My last day will be June 12th. Well ... it might just come a little sooner than that ;-) Much respect. I salute you.

> Well ... it might just come a little sooner than that ;-) Why would it come sooner? You think they would fire him a week early just so he can claim unemployment from them?

Or they'll just ask him to leave. If you quit on bad terms they likely won't want you anywhere near the building- you aren't fired you just aren't allowed in the office anymore.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#88

Post by k__ » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

csunbird wrote: post #56

DoofusOfDeath wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To be fair, it doesn't sound like he has another job lined up. There's no guarantee his next job will pay that well.

With the amount of fame he is getting with this post, I would be surprised if he did not receive 30+ offers that pays well yet. Edit: Of course, the big 5 (FAANG) will not touch him even with a 10 meter pole, but there are other places also pays well.

If one of the five wanted to kick FB butt in the future, they happily will.

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#89

Post by carapace » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 PM UTC

blickentwapft wrote: post #25

oivey wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it is. Arguably the people with that privilege should have more obligation to exercise it in the service of what’s right.

Whilst his stance is to be applauded, it lessens the value of the stance given that he’s not sacrificing much and won’t suffer for his cause. Doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do, just that it would carry more weight if he was leaving to go work at Burger King. Then you’d say “man that guy stands tall”. Edit: Ok reasonable criticism, I’ll withdraw.

I think you have to measure these things (if at all) by the person's own context, not by external comparisons.

It reminds me of the old joke about the skinflint who accidentally put a pound in the collection plate instead of a shilling. "Oh well", he says, "I'll get credit for the pound." The priest hears him and replies, "No, you'll get credit for the shilling."

Re: I'm resigning from my job at Facebook

#90

Post by nautilus12 » Thu, Jun 04, 2020, 2:35 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…

When you turn on the WHO guidelines filter are you just filtering or are you curating? Ultimately you have to form an opinion about whether the piece fits into that classification. With that particular class it may be clear, but with others it may be more grey. Right or wrong, thats what facebook is trying to avoid, attaching an opinion to the content, because then they subject to the same scrutiny twitter is facing with 230.