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I wouldn't expect them to fix anything. When you have the ethics of a company like Facebook it's much easier to claim you're going to fix something and then kee

I wouldn't expect them to fix anything. When you have the ethics of a company like Facebook it's much easier to claim you're going to fix something and then keep doing it. You can't cut off the money faucet if that's all you care about, especially when you know you're not actually going to get in trouble for it.

ilovecaching 8y ago
And it's in CNN's best interest to keep pumping out stories that they aren't, because Google and Facebook are the two monsters taking all of the ad revenue from the once lucrative news trade. That's why I take what the media says worth a grain of salt. They'd love to become the sole source of news again. They're actively looking to make these new age ad platforms fail. Unless you have actual proof that someone is or isn't doing something, it's better to just assume you're missing context.
vertexFarm 8y ago
Exactly. The past couple years have been an exercise in the inadequacies of the honor system. There are no consequences; we can't expect either industry or government entities to self-regulate out of basic human decency. Their efforts to fix the problem amount to nothing more than a cynical PR move. They halfheartedly assuage doubts until the news cycle shifts again. There are no consequences for anyone.
- ilovecaching 8y ago
  I guess you haven't heard about the fees and penalties levied against companies who fail to conform to FTC regulations and government mandates. There's plenty of regulation. It's simply a hard problem to solve. The media just wants to spin the story so people will stop looking at FB and Google for news and pay their subscription fees.
  - ardy42 8y ago
    > I guess you haven't heard about the fees and penalties levied against companies who fail to conform to FTC regulations and government mandates. There's plenty of regulation. It's simply a hard problem to solve. I've heard plenty about them. The fees and penalties are often so small compared to the revenues of the companies they're levied against that they seem more like a cost of doing business than a punishment that could actually change behavior.
kartan 8y ago
> I wouldn't expect them to fix anything. When you have the ethics of a company like Facebook it's much easier to claim you're going to fix something and then keep doing it. For companies, if there is no punishment there is no solution. Even when there is a punishment. If the punishment is cheaper than to not break the law companies chose the later. Harsh on companies, keen with people. That is the way. But the system works in the opposite direction. Human beings go to prison for light misbehavior while companies get a way just with a warning when they put the entire country at risk.

ilovecaching 8y ago

And it's in CNN's best interest to keep pumping out stories that they aren't, because Google and Facebook are the two monsters taking all of the ad revenue from the once lucrative news trade. That's why I take what the media says worth a grain of salt. They'd love to become the sole source of news again. They're actively looking to make these new age ad platforms fail. Unless you have actual proof that someone is or isn't doing something, it's better to just assume you're missing context.

vertexFarm 8y ago

Exactly. The past couple years have been an exercise in the inadequacies of the honor system. There are no consequences; we can't expect either industry or government entities to self-regulate out of basic human decency. Their efforts to fix the problem amount to nothing more than a cynical PR move. They halfheartedly assuage doubts until the news cycle shifts again. There are no consequences for anyone.

ilovecaching 8y ago
I guess you haven't heard about the fees and penalties levied against companies who fail to conform to FTC regulations and government mandates. There's plenty of regulation. It's simply a hard problem to solve. The media just wants to spin the story so people will stop looking at FB and Google for news and pay their subscription fees.
- ardy42 8y ago
  > I guess you haven't heard about the fees and penalties levied against companies who fail to conform to FTC regulations and government mandates. There's plenty of regulation. It's simply a hard problem to solve. I've heard plenty about them. The fees and penalties are often so small compared to the revenues of the companies they're levied against that they seem more like a cost of doing business than a punishment that could actually change behavior.

kartan 8y ago

> I wouldn't expect them to fix anything. When you have the ethics of a company like Facebook it's much easier to claim you're going to fix something and then keep doing it. For companies, if there is no punishment there is no solution. Even when there is a punishment. If the punishment is cheaper than to not break the law companies chose the later. Harsh on companies, keen with people. That is the way. But the system works in the opposite direction. Human beings go to prison for light misbehavior while companies get a way just with a warning when they put the entire country at risk.