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It's amazing that Twitter seems to think pouring effort and bureaucracy into "gentrifying" its userbase is somehow going to turn around the service. Twitter has

It's amazing that Twitter seems to think pouring effort and bureaucracy into "gentrifying" its userbase is somehow going to turn around the service. Twitter has a major problem, but it's not cyberbullying or radical activists; it's that the product is super stale and they haven't innovated in years (ever?). Not killing their ecosystem would have returned far more value to Twitter than becoming a platform with a hardcore political bias. Their inaugural members go so far as to include Feminist Frequency.

theOnliest 11y ago
> Their inaugural members go so far as to include Feminist Frequency. Why is this going "so far"? Anita Sarkeesian has been the source of a bunch of online (and offline) harassment, and has been outspoken against it, especially on Twitter.
- exstudent2 11y ago
  Regardless of what you think of her, you have to admit she's on the far end of the political spectrum. Twitter's announcement claims they want to provide a voice to: "Grassroots advocacy organizations that rely on Twitter to build movements and momentum;" That's precisely the definition of Gamergate and Twitter did everything in its power to censor and stop that movement. Including banning users, unverifying users and censoring auto-suggest for Gamergate related topics. Feminist Frequency played a large role in that censorship.
  - lambic 11y ago
    > Regardless of what you think of her, you have to admit she's on the far end of the political spectrum. "Women should be treated as equals" and "harrasment is bad" are opinions on the far end of the political spectrum? I think I just became an extremist.
    - exstudent2 11y ago
      Well, this definitely isn't the place to get into a debate about her views but they are more radical than you suggest. She has every right to think this way, but to claim that she's middle of the road is disingenuous. Here are some samples of fairly aggressive feminist thinking that I don't think the mainstream would go along with: https://archive.is/wmzhs https://archive.is/wmzhs https://archive.is/WJU15 https://archive.is/WJU15 https://archive.is/0snds https://archive.is/0snds https://archive.is/Fkals https://archive.is/Fkals While it's undeniable that she did receive some harassment, she also has labeled anyone who disagrees with her as harassers and misogynists. She's also famous for coining the phrase "Listen and believe" which is in direct opposition to "innocent until proven guilty". So yeah, I'd consider her pretty radical.
      - tptacek 11y ago
        The best "radical" quotes you have from this person are criticisms of video games? Your initial argument about this person is facile. A pretty solid chunk of the "mainstream" throughout the world would also have problems with the "radical politics" of GLAAD. It is fine for you to disagree with any or all of the organizations on this advisory committee. It is less fine for you to pick out individual members of it and try to make your problems with them the subject of the whole thread. You should cut your losses on this unproductive subthread, which, as you clearly knew when you started it, can't possibly remain on-topic.
        exstudent2 11y ago
        > The best "radical" quotes you have from this person are criticisms of video games? She's a video game critic. > It is fine for you to disagree with any or all of the organizations on this advisory committee. It is less fine for you to pick out individual members of it and try to make your problems with them the subject of the whole thread. I'm not familiar with all of the other members. Feminist Frequency stood out because they're an organization I know about.
        tptacek 11y ago
- cyphar 11y ago
  > Why is this going "so far"? Anita Sarkeesian has been the source of a bunch of online (and offline) harassment, and has been outspoken against it, especially on Twitter. Except of course that she's cried wolf on many occasions (going so far as to /invent/ threats and then pretend that she called the police about it and they advised her to tweet about it) and in general has incredibly extreme views (which IMO don't hold up to even cursory scrutiny, but that could be my bias showing). The point is that a "trust and safety" council should also protect people from lynch mobs created by people like Feminist Frequency, right? So maybe we should get thunderf00t (not going to happen) to be part of this council?
Shish2k 11y ago
I find it hilarious / tragic that the top comment on "twitter attempts to fix their social problems" is that they need to stop doing that and fix their product problems; and the top comment on "twitter attempts to fix their product problems" is that they need to stop doing that and fix their social problems.

theOnliest 11y ago

> Their inaugural members go so far as to include Feminist Frequency. Why is this going "so far"? Anita Sarkeesian has been the source of a bunch of online (and offline) harassment, and has been outspoken against it, especially on Twitter.

exstudent2 11y ago
Regardless of what you think of her, you have to admit she's on the far end of the political spectrum. Twitter's announcement claims they want to provide a voice to: "Grassroots advocacy organizations that rely on Twitter to build movements and momentum;" That's precisely the definition of Gamergate and Twitter did everything in its power to censor and stop that movement. Including banning users, unverifying users and censoring auto-suggest for Gamergate related topics. Feminist Frequency played a large role in that censorship.
- lambic 11y ago
  > Regardless of what you think of her, you have to admit she's on the far end of the political spectrum. "Women should be treated as equals" and "harrasment is bad" are opinions on the far end of the political spectrum? I think I just became an extremist.
  - exstudent2 11y ago
    Well, this definitely isn't the place to get into a debate about her views but they are more radical than you suggest. She has every right to think this way, but to claim that she's middle of the road is disingenuous. Here are some samples of fairly aggressive feminist thinking that I don't think the mainstream would go along with: https://archive.is/wmzhs https://archive.is/wmzhs https://archive.is/WJU15 https://archive.is/WJU15 https://archive.is/0snds https://archive.is/0snds https://archive.is/Fkals https://archive.is/Fkals While it's undeniable that she did receive some harassment, she also has labeled anyone who disagrees with her as harassers and misogynists. She's also famous for coining the phrase "Listen and believe" which is in direct opposition to "innocent until proven guilty". So yeah, I'd consider her pretty radical.
    - tptacek 11y ago
      The best "radical" quotes you have from this person are criticisms of video games? Your initial argument about this person is facile. A pretty solid chunk of the "mainstream" throughout the world would also have problems with the "radical politics" of GLAAD. It is fine for you to disagree with any or all of the organizations on this advisory committee. It is less fine for you to pick out individual members of it and try to make your problems with them the subject of the whole thread. You should cut your losses on this unproductive subthread, which, as you clearly knew when you started it, can't possibly remain on-topic.
      - exstudent2 11y ago
        > The best "radical" quotes you have from this person are criticisms of video games? She's a video game critic. > It is fine for you to disagree with any or all of the organizations on this advisory committee. It is less fine for you to pick out individual members of it and try to make your problems with them the subject of the whole thread. I'm not familiar with all of the other members. Feminist Frequency stood out because they're an organization I know about.
        tptacek 11y ago
cyphar 11y ago
> Why is this going "so far"? Anita Sarkeesian has been the source of a bunch of online (and offline) harassment, and has been outspoken against it, especially on Twitter. Except of course that she's cried wolf on many occasions (going so far as to /invent/ threats and then pretend that she called the police about it and they advised her to tweet about it) and in general has incredibly extreme views (which IMO don't hold up to even cursory scrutiny, but that could be my bias showing). The point is that a "trust and safety" council should also protect people from lynch mobs created by people like Feminist Frequency, right? So maybe we should get thunderf00t (not going to happen) to be part of this council?

Shish2k 11y ago

I find it hilarious / tragic that the top comment on "twitter attempts to fix their social problems" is that they need to stop doing that and fix their product problems; and the top comment on "twitter attempts to fix their product problems" is that they need to stop doing that and fix their social problems.