4 ms·

I don't understand why facebook repeatedly tries (and fails) to become a news source. They can make more money by being the world's watering hole, there is no n

by return0 10y ago

I don't understand why facebook repeatedly tries (and fails) to become a news source. They can make more money by being the world's watering hole, there is no need (and not much money imo) for going after the role of newspapers/tv. Given that their offering is exclusively popularity-driven, the quality of their news offering will always be less-than, or equal-to a very bad tabloid. If they are looking for political power, they already have it by controlling communication channels.

happyslobro 10y ago
I think their long term plan is to literally take over the entire internet, by replacing every feature of every successful category of website. The free Facebook-net for India and Africa, this Facebook for enterprise thing, the embedded games, video... I fully expect to see Facebook for schools soon, followed by diplomas and then degrees granted by a Facebook online university. Maybe they will even try to roll out a voting app some day? It could start as a polling app, and then slowly take over the voting booths in areas where they can buy the necessary permissions. Those governments that grant them control over their elections would celebrate increased voter turnout, and accept a massive campaign contribution (in "premium" Facebook ads) for being the party that opened the door. Jesus, now that I think about it, we could actually end up with a real technocracy in a generation or two, run by... Facebook. That is really, really scary. Brawndo.
- Samis2001 10y ago
  I don't think such a system would be a technocracy - it would seem to be more along the lines of a Corporatocracy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy)
  - happyslobro 10y ago
    I guess. But the political moderators in the corporatocracy would all get laid off once they finished training the AIs. Then it would count as a technocracy.

by return0 10y ago

happyslobro 10y ago

I think their long term plan is to literally take over the entire internet, by replacing every feature of every successful category of website. The free Facebook-net for India and Africa, this Facebook for enterprise thing, the embedded games, video... I fully expect to see Facebook for schools soon, followed by diplomas and then degrees granted by a Facebook online university. Maybe they will even try to roll out a voting app some day? It could start as a polling app, and then slowly take over the voting booths in areas where they can buy the necessary permissions. Those governments that grant them control over their elections would celebrate increased voter turnout, and accept a massive campaign contribution (in "premium" Facebook ads) for being the party that opened the door. Jesus, now that I think about it, we could actually end up with a real technocracy in a generation or two, run by... Facebook. That is really, really scary. Brawndo.

Samis2001 10y ago
I don't think such a system would be a technocracy - it would seem to be more along the lines of a Corporatocracy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy)
- happyslobro 10y ago
  I guess. But the political moderators in the corporatocracy would all get laid off once they finished training the AIs. Then it would count as a technocracy.