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You seem amusingly unaware of how various organisations of questionable intent have farmed microtargeting to influence elections and referendums. If this was "

You seem amusingly unaware of how various organisations of questionable intent have farmed microtargeting to influence elections and referendums. If this was "people saying things I don't like" it would be absolutely fine. People say things I don't like on HN all the time, and I either ignore them or debate with them - which is how it should be. But that's not what this is about. This is about political PR machines with unusual wealth lying to Facebook users on an industrial scale to control what they believe and how they act. But perhaps you think lying to people on an industrial scale is ok?

bondarchuk 6y ago
>But perhaps you think lying to people on an industrial scale is ok? Nobody seemed to have this much of a problem with propaganda back when the common man did not have access to it.
- josephg 6y ago
  The common man? Some of the problem is youtube promoting a 'common man' Alex Jones 15bn times because he drives youtube's advertising revenue. And some of the problem is russia running active disinformation campaigns and organising competing protesters to fight in the streets. If this happened in the 70's, you bet people would have had a problem with it.
  - jpttsn 6y ago
    You bet this happened in the 70's.
- gjulianm 6y ago
  Propaganda is bad, but I very much prefer easily identifiable propaganda that the absolute circus show we have now, mainly because the former is easier to counter.
tyu2 6y ago
> This is about political PR machines with unusual wealth lying to Facebook users on an industrial scale to control what they believe and how they act. It doesn't control how people act, but for the rest this is exactly what mass media was always doing, influencing beliefs and opinions of the masses, never able to criticize powerful and wealthy where it truly mattered. Facebook only made this space a bit more diverse, actually letting some criticism in, weakening mass media influence. But it's ridiculous to think this affected "democracy", the US isn't even considered to be a democracy outside of the US, but more like a capitalist-ruled police country.

bondarchuk 6y ago

>But perhaps you think lying to people on an industrial scale is ok? Nobody seemed to have this much of a problem with propaganda back when the common man did not have access to it.

josephg 6y ago
The common man? Some of the problem is youtube promoting a 'common man' Alex Jones 15bn times because he drives youtube's advertising revenue. And some of the problem is russia running active disinformation campaigns and organising competing protesters to fight in the streets. If this happened in the 70's, you bet people would have had a problem with it.
- jpttsn 6y ago
  You bet this happened in the 70's.
gjulianm 6y ago
Propaganda is bad, but I very much prefer easily identifiable propaganda that the absolute circus show we have now, mainly because the former is easier to counter.

tyu2 6y ago

> This is about political PR machines with unusual wealth lying to Facebook users on an industrial scale to control what they believe and how they act. It doesn't control how people act, but for the rest this is exactly what mass media was always doing, influencing beliefs and opinions of the masses, never able to criticize powerful and wealthy where it truly mattered. Facebook only made this space a bit more diverse, actually letting some criticism in, weakening mass media influence. But it's ridiculous to think this affected "democracy", the US isn't even considered to be a democracy outside of the US, but more like a capitalist-ruled police country.