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Yes, corporate censorship based on shareholder considerations is still ethically acceptable to some people. People who question those ethics may be in the minor

by madair 16y ago

Yes, corporate censorship based on shareholder considerations is still ethically acceptable to some people. People who question those ethics may be in the minority, but lock-step lassez faire is hardly a universal truth.

tptacek 16y ago
You've injected a premise into this argument that the original commenter never asserted (that Facebook is acting in defense of shareholder value, and for no other reason). You've damaged your credibility.
- madair 16y ago
  It doesn't matter whether or not the original commentator asserted that reason or not, Facebook is a public corporation in the United States, it's not a private individual, it's not a private corporation, it's not Zuckerberg. Public corporations in the United States are licensed for the purpose of maximizing shareholder value. This alone is not prima facie lassez faire, but the balancing regulatory framework for corporations is reasonably asserted as mostly lassez faire. (There really aren't any examples of 100% anything goes capitalism in the world.) When Facebook makes a decision, it is to maximize business value, as in shareholder value. If a person makes a case for public corporation free will, I think it's pretty reasonable to respond with assumptions based on the actual nature of the entity we are talking about. Which part is damaging to my credibility? Unpopular, perhaps, but lacking credibility? Are you switching into attack mode, tptacek? [Edit: Oops, I thought Facebook is public already. My bad, thanks philwelch for the catch, now that is damaging to my credibility ;-]
  - philwelch 16y ago
    "Facebook is a public corporation in the United States" When did they IPO?
    - madair 16y ago
      Uh-oh! I thought it had already, I edited to correct, thanks. Now my rhetorical flair in the opening paragraph is all ruined! ;-)
    - nailer 16y ago
      I think a few HN's just went 'shit' before realizing the grandparent made a mistake....
  - MichaelSalib 16y ago
    When Facebook makes a decision, it is to maximize business value, as in shareholder value. I once discussed this with a US Attorney. Shareholder value is actually a fairly nebulous concept. All sorts of corporate actions that promote goodwill in the community can be cast as improving shareholder value, even if they are not profitable. Shareholder value requires a great deal more subjective assessment than one might think. So I don't think it makes sense to speak about corporate motivations exclusively in terms of narrow short term profit motive. (There really aren't any examples of 100% anything goes capitalism in the world.) Somalia?

by madair 16y ago

tptacek 16y ago

You've injected a premise into this argument that the original commenter never asserted (that Facebook is acting in defense of shareholder value, and for no other reason). You've damaged your credibility.

madair 16y ago
It doesn't matter whether or not the original commentator asserted that reason or not, Facebook is a public corporation in the United States, it's not a private individual, it's not a private corporation, it's not Zuckerberg. Public corporations in the United States are licensed for the purpose of maximizing shareholder value. This alone is not prima facie lassez faire, but the balancing regulatory framework for corporations is reasonably asserted as mostly lassez faire. (There really aren't any examples of 100% anything goes capitalism in the world.) When Facebook makes a decision, it is to maximize business value, as in shareholder value. If a person makes a case for public corporation free will, I think it's pretty reasonable to respond with assumptions based on the actual nature of the entity we are talking about. Which part is damaging to my credibility? Unpopular, perhaps, but lacking credibility? Are you switching into attack mode, tptacek? [Edit: Oops, I thought Facebook is public already. My bad, thanks philwelch for the catch, now that is damaging to my credibility ;-]
- philwelch 16y ago
  "Facebook is a public corporation in the United States" When did they IPO?
  - madair 16y ago
    Uh-oh! I thought it had already, I edited to correct, thanks. Now my rhetorical flair in the opening paragraph is all ruined! ;-)
  - nailer 16y ago
    I think a few HN's just went 'shit' before realizing the grandparent made a mistake....
- MichaelSalib 16y ago
  When Facebook makes a decision, it is to maximize business value, as in shareholder value. I once discussed this with a US Attorney. Shareholder value is actually a fairly nebulous concept. All sorts of corporate actions that promote goodwill in the community can be cast as improving shareholder value, even if they are not profitable. Shareholder value requires a great deal more subjective assessment than one might think. So I don't think it makes sense to speak about corporate motivations exclusively in terms of narrow short term profit motive. (There really aren't any examples of 100% anything goes capitalism in the world.) Somalia?