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I think tech firms are opening up pandora's box by introducing themselves into politics. What is next? Separate http protocols for liberal and conservative we

I think tech firms are opening up pandora's box by introducing themselves into politics. What is next? Separate http protocols for liberal and conservative websites? No good will come of this.

danharaj 10y ago
The Internet is already tightly controlled and Internet corporations are partly culpable. That's why supporting tor is so crucial, for example. Silence is just tacit approval of the status quo. Acknowledging that tech companies have a political role is acknowledging responsibility.
danielsju6 10y ago
Other industries are politically involved. Why should tech steer clear? What makes this more of a Pandora's box?
mmakunas 10y ago
That is bull. Everything about what tech is creating is political. Software cannot "eat the world" and not be political. Ignore it at your own peril.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
concinds 10y ago
"separate http protocols" sounds like a nonsequitur, but it's true that Silicon Valley has huge power over our lives, and it's only going to increase. SV is responsible for how you communicate, how you work, what information you're exposed to, and what you learn about the world. Tech companies can regulate your access to any of these; suspend your Twitter, ban or censor online communities, and more. To this, add the fact that they collect so much data. The idea of a not only partisan, but partially mob-driven Silicon Valley is concerning. Just think about psychometrics for a second. Facebook, based on your use of their site, can deduce enough about you to build a psychological profile of you. That was enough to correlate certain psychological profiles to political inclinations, and target marketing to potential Trump voters. Those psychological profiles are only going to get more precise, as time goes on, to the point where you can predict someone's likelihood of getting addicted to alcohol, or becoming a serial killer, months before it happens. You think Facebook won't eventually make use of that, either forced by law enforcement, the mob, or of their own will? It's immoral not to do it, you'd be saving lives! But then, what else can be done with those profiles? Who gets to decide? Will the mob have been appeased by then? You better hope so.
pavel_lishin 10y ago
> What is next? Separate http protocols for liberal and conservative websites? Isn't Net Neutrality a political issue now?
flukus 10y ago
Yes, they outcome of this "with us or against us" approach is two different parallel economies. I don't get why tech companies are being singled out either. Why is no one making grocery purchasing decisions based on their CEO's support for trump?
CurtMonash 10y ago
Pandora's Box opened on its own. http://www.dbms2.com/2017/02/02/theres-no-escape-from-politics/ http://www.dbms2.com/2017/02/02/theres-no-escape-from-politi... -- Privacy/surveillance issues are huge in tech. -- Immigration issues are a big deal, at least in the US. -- Censorship is huge in many countries. -- The internet is a key enabler of globalism. -- Automation of jobs is a big deal. Etc.

I think tech firms are opening up pandora's box by introducing themselves into politics. What is next? Separate http protocols for liberal and conservative websites? No good will come of this.

danharaj 10y ago

The Internet is already tightly controlled and Internet corporations are partly culpable. That's why supporting tor is so crucial, for example. Silence is just tacit approval of the status quo. Acknowledging that tech companies have a political role is acknowledging responsibility.

danielsju6 10y ago

Other industries are politically involved. Why should tech steer clear? What makes this more of a Pandora's box?

mmakunas 10y ago

That is bull. Everything about what tech is creating is political. Software cannot "eat the world" and not be political. Ignore it at your own peril.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

concinds 10y ago

"separate http protocols" sounds like a nonsequitur, but it's true that Silicon Valley has huge power over our lives, and it's only going to increase. SV is responsible for how you communicate, how you work, what information you're exposed to, and what you learn about the world. Tech companies can regulate your access to any of these; suspend your Twitter, ban or censor online communities, and more. To this, add the fact that they collect so much data. The idea of a not only partisan, but partially mob-driven Silicon Valley is concerning. Just think about psychometrics for a second. Facebook, based on your use of their site, can deduce enough about you to build a psychological profile of you. That was enough to correlate certain psychological profiles to political inclinations, and target marketing to potential Trump voters. Those psychological profiles are only going to get more precise, as time goes on, to the point where you can predict someone's likelihood of getting addicted to alcohol, or becoming a serial killer, months before it happens. You think Facebook won't eventually make use of that, either forced by law enforcement, the mob, or of their own will? It's immoral not to do it, you'd be saving lives! But then, what else can be done with those profiles? Who gets to decide? Will the mob have been appeased by then? You better hope so.

pavel_lishin 10y ago

> What is next? Separate http protocols for liberal and conservative websites? Isn't Net Neutrality a political issue now?

flukus 10y ago

Yes, they outcome of this "with us or against us" approach is two different parallel economies. I don't get why tech companies are being singled out either. Why is no one making grocery purchasing decisions based on their CEO's support for trump?

CurtMonash 10y ago

Pandora's Box opened on its own. http://www.dbms2.com/2017/02/02/theres-no-escape-from-politics/ http://www.dbms2.com/2017/02/02/theres-no-escape-from-politi... -- Privacy/surveillance issues are huge in tech. -- Immigration issues are a big deal, at least in the US. -- Censorship is huge in many countries. -- The internet is a key enabler of globalism. -- Automation of jobs is a big deal. Etc.