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That is a very upsetting story. Thank you for taking the time to share it. It serves as a pertinent example of how cold and calculating advertising can be - esp

That is a very upsetting story. Thank you for taking the time to share it. It serves as a pertinent example of how cold and calculating advertising can be - especially with regards to intimate, personal life events. Facebook still seems to misunderstand its role as a communications platform funded through adtech and data harvesting. And as a company with 2 billion+ customers ('users' in reality, as their customers are actually advertisers), they need to understand that they have an ethical role to play in using technology (yes, even communications technologies) and need to address their Orwellian bones.

Spooky23 8y ago
IMO mass communications vehicles like Facebook and Twitter need to be regulated with a regime similar to a phone company. There needs to be a firewall between the communications and tooling portion of the business and advertising business. The obligation to maximize shareholder value for companies like Facebook (or legacy AT&T doesn't align with the public interest). You also have companies controlled by small numbers of people with unusual world-views. (Remember when Twitter was bragging about sparking the arab spring?) You need distributed regulatory force to compel behavior, just like how many aspects of electrical rates are governed in the US by state commissions.
- adrian_mrd 8y ago
  I largely agree; although I ‘fear’ that the regulation will take the form of the competition authorities rather than say, a communications authority (FCC in the USA [1], ACMA in Australia, relevant bodies in European nations). Why such a ‘fear’? Because it is the wrong way to regulate in my opinion and proves that the ‘horse’ has bolted. I can’t remember the source but I recently read that Facechook has a PR team of 1,100 (WTF?!) and that even The Zuck (™ pending!) has a personal media team of 15-20 making him look like a Saint. Spoilers: outside of HN and many tech sites, it’s working - even in the light of Cambridge Analytica, et al. The real issue stems from the fact that very few elected Politicians or Technocrats understand technology and its implications, OR, are too fearful to attack the FANGs as they are very powerful, OR are susceptible to soft propaganda efforts; otherwise known as lobbyists. It’s clear to me at least that an unregulated Facebook is a potential danger in many parts of the world: USA elections, Myanmar, etc. It obviously has great utility too - hence its absolute success - but the days when Google, Apple, Facechook, et al, say they are not media companies are hopefully in the past. [1] although not under the current FCC regime!

Spooky23 8y ago

IMO mass communications vehicles like Facebook and Twitter need to be regulated with a regime similar to a phone company. There needs to be a firewall between the communications and tooling portion of the business and advertising business. The obligation to maximize shareholder value for companies like Facebook (or legacy AT&T doesn't align with the public interest). You also have companies controlled by small numbers of people with unusual world-views. (Remember when Twitter was bragging about sparking the arab spring?) You need distributed regulatory force to compel behavior, just like how many aspects of electrical rates are governed in the US by state commissions.

adrian_mrd 8y ago
I largely agree; although I ‘fear’ that the regulation will take the form of the competition authorities rather than say, a communications authority (FCC in the USA [1], ACMA in Australia, relevant bodies in European nations). Why such a ‘fear’? Because it is the wrong way to regulate in my opinion and proves that the ‘horse’ has bolted. I can’t remember the source but I recently read that Facechook has a PR team of 1,100 (WTF?!) and that even The Zuck (™ pending!) has a personal media team of 15-20 making him look like a Saint. Spoilers: outside of HN and many tech sites, it’s working - even in the light of Cambridge Analytica, et al. The real issue stems from the fact that very few elected Politicians or Technocrats understand technology and its implications, OR, are too fearful to attack the FANGs as they are very powerful, OR are susceptible to soft propaganda efforts; otherwise known as lobbyists. It’s clear to me at least that an unregulated Facebook is a potential danger in many parts of the world: USA elections, Myanmar, etc. It obviously has great utility too - hence its absolute success - but the days when Google, Apple, Facechook, et al, say they are not media companies are hopefully in the past. [1] although not under the current FCC regime!