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He's got full control right now, and opinions of him seem pretty negative overall (esp. wrt privacy/trust). I can't imagine it'd be any easier to manipulate opi

by bmpafa 9y ago

He's got full control right now, and opinions of him seem pretty negative overall (esp. wrt privacy/trust). I can't imagine it'd be any easier to manipulate opinions en masse if he were actively seeking office.

jadedhacker 9y ago
People aren't that dumb, but it is still pretty scary that he'd be able to scientifically design an electoral campaign that can be updated in real time using various FB tools. No other politician has access to power like that. I can't imagine what kind of coalition he could assemble. I don't know if it would win, but if he takes whatever position his data tells him, the only obvious thing that would sink him would be his lack of authenticity. Imagine a candidate that always had an appealing take to a slim to large majority on whatever issue (for people that don't know too much about the issue). In the previous 2016 race, HRC was perceived as inauthentic and lost. DJT was perceived as authentic to a substantial fraction the right (not the media class, though that has changed with the direction of the wind) and inauthentic to the left.
- xienze 9y ago
  Zuck is a Democrat, he’d get a pass on all that, especially if it meant getting Trump out of office. Let’s not kid ourselves, hardly anyone in the media and government would make a stink about what he does with FB to get elected. This is all hypothetical of course, he has to be one of the most unlikeable people in ages, and the reception to his “I identify with you, middle Americans” tour really solidified that feeling.
  - meowface 9y ago
    Yeah, there are large numbers of billionaire CEOs with far more charisma and public support than Zuckerberg (like Mark Cuban and Elon Musk). Hate him or not (I'm in the former group), Trump also has charisma. Zuckerberg has brains but not an ounce of charisma or PR ability.
  - jadedhacker 9y ago
    I'm inclined to agree with you, but I'm also in agreement that I'm not sure he could win anyway. Zuck would be the personification of neoliberal imperial agendas so I imagine the establishment, perhaps on both sides, would line up behind him.
rhizome 9y ago
If he was going to run, he would want win and manipulation carries too much risk. I think it's likely that he uses FB analytics to determine what most people already want, then make that his platform.

by bmpafa 9y ago

jadedhacker 9y ago

People aren't that dumb, but it is still pretty scary that he'd be able to scientifically design an electoral campaign that can be updated in real time using various FB tools. No other politician has access to power like that. I can't imagine what kind of coalition he could assemble. I don't know if it would win, but if he takes whatever position his data tells him, the only obvious thing that would sink him would be his lack of authenticity. Imagine a candidate that always had an appealing take to a slim to large majority on whatever issue (for people that don't know too much about the issue). In the previous 2016 race, HRC was perceived as inauthentic and lost. DJT was perceived as authentic to a substantial fraction the right (not the media class, though that has changed with the direction of the wind) and inauthentic to the left.

xienze 9y ago
Zuck is a Democrat, he’d get a pass on all that, especially if it meant getting Trump out of office. Let’s not kid ourselves, hardly anyone in the media and government would make a stink about what he does with FB to get elected. This is all hypothetical of course, he has to be one of the most unlikeable people in ages, and the reception to his “I identify with you, middle Americans” tour really solidified that feeling.
- meowface 9y ago
  Yeah, there are large numbers of billionaire CEOs with far more charisma and public support than Zuckerberg (like Mark Cuban and Elon Musk). Hate him or not (I'm in the former group), Trump also has charisma. Zuckerberg has brains but not an ounce of charisma or PR ability.
- jadedhacker 9y ago
  I'm inclined to agree with you, but I'm also in agreement that I'm not sure he could win anyway. Zuck would be the personification of neoliberal imperial agendas so I imagine the establishment, perhaps on both sides, would line up behind him.

rhizome 9y ago

If he was going to run, he would want win and manipulation carries too much risk. I think it's likely that he uses FB analytics to determine what most people already want, then make that his platform.