5 ms·

Facebook is considered, by far, the most problematic major technology company active right now. There is so much content in this article that it has become unma

Facebook is considered, by far, the most problematic major technology company active right now. There is so much content in this article that it has become unmaintainable: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook

jariel 7y ago
" by far, the most problematic major technology company active right now." This is ridiculous. Facebook is a social network that allows people to share information with one another, almost always in the terms that the user wants i.e. users have control over their own privacy level. Unlike so many places, Facebook does not sell or share any data with anyone. They don't need to, because they have their own advertising engine. That's it. The list of concerns in this Wikipedia article are mostly misguided or misrepresentative. Most concerns are actually critiques of social media in general, such as "Students have a hard time coping" because they're caught up in social media is a social commentary about new technology, not Facebook. 'Envy' 'Stress' etc. - this is 'Facebooks' fault for allowing people to share information about their lives? The vast majority of people are able to handle their 'social media account', and there's a very easy answer for those who don't want to deal with it - which is to not have an account with Facebook, moreover, this is a general concern, not a Facebook-specific issue. Almost all of the other issues in kind 'Tax Avoidance': FB pays 100% of the taxes they are owed, and don't pay taxes they don't need to. In the context of this article consider that the architect of the EU's ostensible loopholes was Jean Claude Junker (!!!) literally the Pres of the EU Commission who created all these shenanigan rules when he was PM of Tax Haven Luxembourg! It's 100% the EU's fault that their tax laws are wack. If they want a more thoughtful approach to taxation than they should change their laws. Facebook is critiqued for some content moderation issues, as though it's 'their fault' that someone bullies some other person? Again, this is a general social media issue, not a Facebook issue, moreover, everyone would just like clarity on how to deal with the issue. Governments don't provide clear direction, and the press/twitterverse will be in outrage mode whatever happens one way or another. Most hypocritically, the most popular 'solution' around here seems to be 'decentralization' - as if when there is no 'authority' modering content these problems will be solved? Just the opposite! A 'decentralized' social network will be the most unruly place imaginable where all these problems are considerably worse. Imagine ISIS with their 'execution' videos willy nilly, NAZI propaganda, ex-husbands and wives doing a terrible thing to one another, pedophiles, stalkers galore. Facebook is a social network where people can 'share stuff' almost entirely on their own terms. They moderate, but not perfectly and there will never be perfect moderation because nobody can agree on what that is. They are not a bad company, nor is it really even bad technology, like anything, most people use it for fairly benign, normative stuff like sharing cat and wedding videos.
- Nextgrid 7y ago
  Facebook stalks you even if you don't use the product yourself nor agree with their ToS/privacy policy. They got websites and developers to embed their spyware like the tracking pixels, Like buttons, app SDKs everywhere so they can get IP address and device data which is enough to track you across apps and websites with very high accuracy. They also track who knows you based on other Facebook users (often unintentionally, thanks to dark patterns) share their contacts list with your number in there. They can basically infer your entire social graph without you even being aware nor consenting to it.
  - jariel 7y ago
    So does Google, and a thousand other companies. That has nothing to do with Facebook or social media. I would love if someone passed a law or made some relevant and intelligent regulations concerning this, but's completely beyond Facebook making a dating app. Facebook is not a malicious company. They're just a big social network with all the crap that comes along with that.

jariel 7y ago

" by far, the most problematic major technology company active right now." This is ridiculous. Facebook is a social network that allows people to share information with one another, almost always in the terms that the user wants i.e. users have control over their own privacy level. Unlike so many places, Facebook does not sell or share any data with anyone. They don't need to, because they have their own advertising engine. That's it. The list of concerns in this Wikipedia article are mostly misguided or misrepresentative. Most concerns are actually critiques of social media in general, such as "Students have a hard time coping" because they're caught up in social media is a social commentary about new technology, not Facebook. 'Envy' 'Stress' etc. - this is 'Facebooks' fault for allowing people to share information about their lives? The vast majority of people are able to handle their 'social media account', and there's a very easy answer for those who don't want to deal with it - which is to not have an account with Facebook, moreover, this is a general concern, not a Facebook-specific issue. Almost all of the other issues in kind 'Tax Avoidance': FB pays 100% of the taxes they are owed, and don't pay taxes they don't need to. In the context of this article consider that the architect of the EU's ostensible loopholes was Jean Claude Junker (!!!) literally the Pres of the EU Commission who created all these shenanigan rules when he was PM of Tax Haven Luxembourg! It's 100% the EU's fault that their tax laws are wack. If they want a more thoughtful approach to taxation than they should change their laws. Facebook is critiqued for some content moderation issues, as though it's 'their fault' that someone bullies some other person? Again, this is a general social media issue, not a Facebook issue, moreover, everyone would just like clarity on how to deal with the issue. Governments don't provide clear direction, and the press/twitterverse will be in outrage mode whatever happens one way or another. Most hypocritically, the most popular 'solution' around here seems to be 'decentralization' - as if when there is no 'authority' modering content these problems will be solved? Just the opposite! A 'decentralized' social network will be the most unruly place imaginable where all these problems are considerably worse. Imagine ISIS with their 'execution' videos willy nilly, NAZI propaganda, ex-husbands and wives doing a terrible thing to one another, pedophiles, stalkers galore. Facebook is a social network where people can 'share stuff' almost entirely on their own terms. They moderate, but not perfectly and there will never be perfect moderation because nobody can agree on what that is. They are not a bad company, nor is it really even bad technology, like anything, most people use it for fairly benign, normative stuff like sharing cat and wedding videos.

Nextgrid 7y ago
Facebook stalks you even if you don't use the product yourself nor agree with their ToS/privacy policy. They got websites and developers to embed their spyware like the tracking pixels, Like buttons, app SDKs everywhere so they can get IP address and device data which is enough to track you across apps and websites with very high accuracy. They also track who knows you based on other Facebook users (often unintentionally, thanks to dark patterns) share their contacts list with your number in there. They can basically infer your entire social graph without you even being aware nor consenting to it.
- jariel 7y ago
  So does Google, and a thousand other companies. That has nothing to do with Facebook or social media. I would love if someone passed a law or made some relevant and intelligent regulations concerning this, but's completely beyond Facebook making a dating app. Facebook is not a malicious company. They're just a big social network with all the crap that comes along with that.