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Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

wsj.com

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Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#91
> At least some of the documents have been turned over to the Securities and Exchange Commission and to Congress by a person seeking federal whistleblower protection, according to people familiar with the matter.

The story-within-the-story here is that there is a FB whistleblower who wanted to bring this to light, not unlike other high-profile cases involving government surveillance. It amazes me that one person can wield more power than scores of seasoned journalists.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because of its network effect. Removing facebook, in a way is removing members of our connection circles.

> removing members of our connection circles Does it really? Whatever happened to just a friendly weekly email?

I'm in my 30s and a friendly email (from a person not relating to business) has never existed in my life haha

Man I'd love it if I could communicate socially via email, nobody I know would go for it

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#93
post #4

Facebook IS the problem. Discuss.

Perhaps it's just me, but reddit front page is much more toxic and filled with misinformation compared to most Facebook groups. (Niche subs are really good though).

The biggest one in terms of users is Facebook. Everyone has given Facebook so many chances to change for years and yet, they are incapable of changing.

Not even the fines are scaring them. They are so tiny, they are laughing at them whilst they rake in billions in revenue.

They will never change and it will only get worse. They are the problem.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#94
This should have been obvious during the election when trump clearly violated the "don't mislead the public about how elections work" when he claimed that postal votes are what ever it is he said it was.

That is a clear ban. It says so in the "community guidelines"

(side note, you should really read the community guidelines, they are a great set of rules for keeping a community vibrant and happy, assuming they are enforced....)

I can see why facebook did it, you don't want to obviously piss off a capricious party with the power to fuck with your bottom line. It doesn't make it any better.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#95
post #18

I don't understand the way their enforcement works. I've reported videos of people literally setting live animals on fire and been told there was no violation, but my wife called someone a "loser" and got a week long ban.

My wife (an American) also got flagged for saying "Americans are selfish". She then made a post about our RV (camper) asking about sewer "hook ups" at a campground and was flagged for posting what looked like a sex ad. We (the kids and I) now lovingly call her "hate speech Mom".

> asking about sewer "hook ups" at a campground

No lie, that is dirty talk.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#96

>“We are not actually doing what we say we do publicly,” said the confidential review. Why do we even have the collective fiction where corporate messaging around a sore topic is treated as trustworthy? Especially with companies that we know lie all the fucking time?

Do we have that collective fiction? I don't personally know anyone who thought that Facebook applied its rules to all equally, and certainly nobody here in the HN comments seems to be surprised.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I put all of the companies you name in pretty much the same basket, and avoid them as much as I can. I don't shop on Amazon, I don't use Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter. I don't use Apple products. I do use Android and Google Docs/Drive/Mail but my next phone will probably be an open one and I could drop the GSuite stuff without too much pain, mostly laziness that I haven't already.

I'm in the same boat. Trying my best to de-FAANG my life. Self hosting as much as possible, with as little management overhead as possible, but I'm still stuck on Android and I don't know how to break free.

It's not quite ready for the prime time, but there are some open source phones in the works. The two most notable are the Librem 5 (https://puri.sm/products/librem-5-usa/) and the Pinephone (https://www.pine64.org/pinephone/).

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#98

>“We are not actually doing what we say we do publicly,” said the confidential review. Why do we even have the collective fiction where corporate messaging around a sore topic is treated as trustworthy? Especially with companies that we know lie all the fucking time?

Further, why do we continue to accept the fiction that rules and laws apply to the elite as for the masses? Even the not-so-elite, the Stanford swimmer who brutally raped and assaulted Chanel Miller, though convicted, was given light sentence because of his "bright future", according to the judge.

Is there anyone walking around that actually believes that rules and laws apply to the elite?

Some seem to think that the reason this is excused is because (in the US at least) every poor schmuck seem to think they they will be rich and powerful someday and get to partake. I've never found that very credible, but smarter people than me seem to think so.

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#99

>“We are not actually doing what we say we do publicly,” said the confidential review. Why do we even have the collective fiction where corporate messaging around a sore topic is treated as trustworthy? Especially with companies that we know lie all the fucking time?

> Why do we even have the collective fiction where corporate messaging around a sore topic is treated as trustworthy? Especially with companies that we know lie all the fucking time?

Yeah I don't get that. PR people are adversaries, not allies

Re: Facebook has exempted high-profile users from some or all of its rules

#100
post #91

> At least some of the documents have been turned over to the Securities and Exchange Commission and to Congress by a person seeking federal whistleblower protection, according to people familiar with the matter. The story-within-the-story here is that there is a FB whistleblower who wanted to bring this to light, not unlike other high-profile cases involving government surveillance. It amazes me that one person can…

Am I right to think of it more as a partnership? It does take at least one person with insider knowledge and access. Otherwise, the reporting would lack the backing documents that brings it credibility. And companies seem to be rather opaque to purely outside sources.
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