4 ms·
Just treat these companies as media companies with editorial discretion instead of as utilities. Really, the moment you start to take advertising, you're respo
by mozumder 9y ago
Just treat these companies as media companies with editorial discretion instead of as utilities.
Really, the moment you start to take advertising, you're responsible for content. Professional advertisers have specific rules about content they can associate with. I've worked with them and they're strict about that, for example, they can't show a beautiful fashion spread next to a bloody image in a magazine. That's just basic advertising and branding.
And once you have editorial discretion, you can do whatever you want with content, and no one can complain. Your policy can be made simpler. "Don't piss off Bob" can be a perfectly valid editorial policy, instead of whatever complication Facebook has to go through in determining policy.
I also think this would encourage the creation of more competing social media outlets, which is probably why the dominant ones like to think of themselves as utilities.
- aaronbrethorst 9y agoI’m not sure why you’re being downvoted. You’re absolutely right. Maybe the idea of technology not being a neutral good makes the downvoters uncomfortable. edit: yep, seems it does.
- leereeves 9y ago> the creation of more competing social media outlets Like gab.ai? Not allowed on iPhones. Perhaps Twitter could be considered a media company with editorial discretion, but Apple? Either treat these giant SV companies as utilities, or break them up.
- mozumder 9y agoWhy wouldn't Apple have editorial control over their own private marketplace?
- leereeves 9y agoFor the same reason electricity providers and ISPs shouldn't be allowed to. The companies that make products essential to modern society shouldn't be allowed to decide who can participate in modern society.