5 ms·

Require manual profile validation for new Facebook accounts? Probably would get downvoted if I said SSN + a credit check. Phone number required + needs to be

• jethro_tell 7y ago
  The problem is that a lot of people can't even fathom the idea of automating something like account generation. It takes them two support calls and an 1 1/2 hour to log into their email. They don't even understand what's possible, and a blue checkmark won't/doesn't solve that.
• bart_spoon 7y ago
  Seems like an incredible amount of work for something that at the end of the day doesn't actually provide much value to users or the world.
• Barrin92 7y ago
  or simply charge a few bucks for account creation.
  • rolltiide 7y ago
    $4 Payable in Zuckbucks, which can only be bought in $5 packs
  • pushpop 7y ago
    You then run the risk of excluding developing economies. Unless you adjust the payment to be region specific, in which case you’d just get foreign powers (be that corporations or state sponsored) using their wealth to fund hordes of new registrations from said developing economies; thus negating the benefit of a sign up fee.
    • Barrin92 7y ago
      a low single-digit dollar amount of money isn't really prohibitive any more in almost all regions on the planet for a one-off payment (networked regions, at least). That's an argument facebook itself likes to make but if you look at the WhatsApp growth which used to have a model of 1$/year it seems completely fabricated. And arguably a small payment amplifies anti-abuse measures because you have a hard financial trail. If a foreign entity buys thousands or more of accounts, not only are you putting a cost on it, it should be trivial to see the anomaly in the system.
      • stevenicr 7y ago
        and a single digit isn't really prohibitive for making fake accounts either. I'd gladly pay $250 for 50 fake fbook accounts spewing the commercial and propaganda crap that makes me profit.. or just feel good about skewering another side I don't care for.
    • yc_2345 7y ago
      As someone who grew up in a developing economy, I find this view extremely patronizing. Usually, what happens is that a local company fills that demand gap. Also, I think it is good for all parties concerned, because most developing economies will have a big problem becoming developed economies if their people are under constant surveillance from entities who may benefit from their continuation as developing economies. Case in point: the US dollar is a horrible currency if looked at in isolation - after all, why the heck should the rest of the world pay American kids lots of money to have a great time at college and then turn around and default on their debt? Student loan forgiveness is almost a certainty over the next few years. But people still flock to the US dollar because it is far better than the other places money could go. There may be a hint of conspiracy theory in this, for sure, but it does not require a wild stretch of imagination to expect that the country where Facebook/WhatsApp/Instagram is headquartered actually has a real incentive to foment violence in other countries and make their own economy and thus currency look better in comparison.
      • pushpop 7y ago
• pushpop 7y ago
  When it comes to account creation, whatever method you come up with will be solved with hordes of call centre workers in a lesser affluent county. The only solution is to police the content and that then brings up questions about whether Facebook are an “ISP”, how start ups then follow precedence, etc.
• ionforce 7y ago
  I would love an online forum with aggressive verification. It would really weed out the noise.
• Kim_Bruning 7y ago
  By now, people have the gaming of Real Name policies and Verified Accounts down to a science. Indeed it's harder to use false accounts anymore, that much is true. However, it becomes much easier to Dox people. This allows you to put pressure on work+family+neighbors. Or alternately, if you're one of the more violent groups: you can outright go after your opponents in physical space.
  • wruza 7y ago
    This may be important and may be not. Numerous governments already do that: require everyone to disclose their [e-]life and punish for what they had to say. But if you do that in US or EU, will they turn into such oppressing states? Is total control a cause or an effect, or both?
• bryan_w 7y ago
  To make the problem trickier, even if you do have a "Verified human" today, they are likely to download virus.exe tomorrow and become part of the next bot net
• rhizome 7y ago
  All of this is why I think Nextdoor is extremely well positioned to eat Facebook's lunch and drink their milkshake. Which would be a pretty glorious downfall.
• mattr47 7y ago
  So more big brother stuff is what you are suggesting. How about people not rely on FB for news.
  • cpayne624 7y ago
    Easy to say, but people will still do it. And those people vote and affect policies that, in turn, affect you and me.