3 ms·
> In Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent manifesto, he wrote about how Facebook is in a unique position to help prevent people from doing harm to themselves.
by cJ0th 10y ago
> In Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent manifesto, he wrote about how Facebook is in a unique position to help prevent people from doing harm to themselves.
This makes you wonder how often it happens that a post on facebook (say, school kids bullying a class mate) is the final straw for someone who is already mentally suffering.
In other words, FB is probably quite responsible for many suicide attempts by people who are at risk to committing suicide.
- awinder 10y agoIt was AIM before Facebook, and playgrounds before AIM. Shitty people are quite responsible for many suicide attempts by people who are prone to committing suicide.
- wu-ikkyu 10y agoI hate Facebook, but being hasty to place blame and responsibility on them after a suicide short sighted. Unless it was related to the emotional manipulation experiment they did a while back. https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/06/28/facebook-manipulated-user-news-feeds-to-create-emotional-contagion/#482e8ef039dc https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2014/06/28/facebo...
- cJ0th 10y ago"Responsibility" may be too strong a word but I guess it is fair to say that technically they've played a role in many cases. And because of that it rubs me the wrong way when they say they are in a unique position to "help" people. It's rather an attempt at saving face.
- jsloat 10y agoThat's a little reductive. Another communications medium would take Facebook's place if it weren't the platform for this bullying.
- cJ0th 10y agoNo doubt. I just find Mr. Zuckerberg's wording a bit odd. Clearly they fear that someone might blame them someday if they fail to take action. Instead of saying "Look, we have a problem and we're working on it" he goes "Look FB is great, we help people!" Of course, this is typical PR speak but it leaves a sour taste when it comes to such a serious topic, imho.