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This is excellent. Hopefully other mainstream brands will follow suit. Once this issue hurts Google and Facebook enough that analysts start asking about it at e

by zapita 9y ago

This is excellent. Hopefully other mainstream brands will follow suit. Once this issue hurts Google and Facebook enough that analysts start asking about it at earnings calls, we'll start to see some change. The only other avenue I see for meaningful change is proper enforcement of anti-trust laws, but the odds of that happening inthe current administration are probably zero.

ralusek 9y ago
How is it excellent? For one, the standard by which content is determined to be toxic is based off of basically nothing. Take for example The Rubin Report on YouTube, which is constantly demonetized for simply facilitating discussions between intellectuals from across the political spectrum. Ben Shapiro, an orthodox Jew who is an outspoken opponent of racism and the alt-right, was accused of white supremacy by these same groups claiming toxicity. Advertisers determining what is and is not morally toxic by whatever standards are currently being employed is not exactly a step in the right direction. Unilever exists at upper echelons of a free market that even most libertarians would begin asking for a semblance of regulations. To think that this is an attempt at anything other than capitalizing off of social trends in order to lower advertising costs or simply to cultivate easy social good will would be foolish.
- renlo 9y ago
  Although I agree with your message, how is Ben Shapiro an 'opponent of [...] the alt-right'?
  - ralusek 9y ago
    As the other commenter mentioned, the alt-right is to some extent an advocacy for white supremacy and white nationalism. It comfortably falls into the spectrum of the identity politics, as well supporting authoritarian strategies (nationalist border and trade policies). Ben Shapiro is mostly a classical liberal with personal conservative beliefs. Anti-authoritarian, focus on individual identities and universal policy.
  - pukerz 9y ago
    Because in online circles, the 'alt-right' has basically become synonymous with white nationalism, advocacy for an ethnostate and/or belief in a Jewish conspiracy. Ben Shapiro is in opposition to those views.

by zapita 9y ago

ralusek 9y ago

How is it excellent? For one, the standard by which content is determined to be toxic is based off of basically nothing. Take for example The Rubin Report on YouTube, which is constantly demonetized for simply facilitating discussions between intellectuals from across the political spectrum. Ben Shapiro, an orthodox Jew who is an outspoken opponent of racism and the alt-right, was accused of white supremacy by these same groups claiming toxicity. Advertisers determining what is and is not morally toxic by whatever standards are currently being employed is not exactly a step in the right direction. Unilever exists at upper echelons of a free market that even most libertarians would begin asking for a semblance of regulations. To think that this is an attempt at anything other than capitalizing off of social trends in order to lower advertising costs or simply to cultivate easy social good will would be foolish.

renlo 9y ago
Although I agree with your message, how is Ben Shapiro an 'opponent of [...] the alt-right'?
- ralusek 9y ago
  As the other commenter mentioned, the alt-right is to some extent an advocacy for white supremacy and white nationalism. It comfortably falls into the spectrum of the identity politics, as well supporting authoritarian strategies (nationalist border and trade policies). Ben Shapiro is mostly a classical liberal with personal conservative beliefs. Anti-authoritarian, focus on individual identities and universal policy.
- pukerz 9y ago
  Because in online circles, the 'alt-right' has basically become synonymous with white nationalism, advocacy for an ethnostate and/or belief in a Jewish conspiracy. Ben Shapiro is in opposition to those views.