4 ms·

Also, now this will overshadow the WhatsApp blunder. Great timing.

xxpor 6y ago
Whatsapp doesn't have enough penetration in the US for that to have ever mattered. I'd watch the EU for news on that front.
- silexia 6y ago
  Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. Social media platforms are not some sort of public utility. Social media platforms are private businesses owned by private individuals who can choose who they want to let in and who they want to kick out just like any restaurant or bar or concert hall. If you dislike who a social media platform allows or does not allow, just use a different one. For example, many Trump supporters use parler... A platform which is known to kick off liberal voices. Or better yet, just set up your own blog on your own host and do whatever you want.
  - randlet 6y ago
    > Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. I don't think that is true at all. There's definitely lots of business owners here (myself included!) but I don't think it's anywhere close to a majority.
  - bidirectional 6y ago
    > Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. Has there been a survey done on this? Because that's not the impression I have at all. Entrepeneurs are obviously over-represented in contrast to the general population, but I doubt they're the majority.
  - alsetmusic 6y ago
    I believe you’re recycling your material: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25673152 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25673152
  - ezekg 6y ago
    > Parler... A platform which is known to kick off liberal voices. What? Parler doesn't seem to censor political content at all. A lack of liberal voice does not mean Parler "kicks them off."
    - danhor 6y ago
      At least their CEO seems to ban "Antifa" supporters: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200630/23525844821/parler-speedruns-content-moderation-learning-curve-goes-we-allow-everything-to-were-good-censors-days.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200630/23525844821/parle...
  - jedberg 6y ago
    > Social media platforms are private businesses owned by private individuals who can choose who they want to let in and who they want to kick out just like any restaurant or bar or concert hall. I hate to break it to you, but bars and restaurants and concert halls can't kick out anyone they want to. There are rules around access to semi-public places. For example they can't kick someone out just for wearing a MAGA hat, or for being black, or lots of other protected classes.
    - lotsofpulp 6y ago
      I’m aware of race, religion, sex, age, and some other federally protected statuses in the US that a business can’t discriminate against, but what protected class would political affiliation fall under?
      - ThrowawayR2 6y ago
        California does consider political affiliation as a protected class for employment purposes: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-employment-discrimination-31690.html https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-employmen... That's what real liberalism looks like and it's something we need to extend to the federal level.
        deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
        joshuamorton 6y ago
        Note that this is only for employment. A california business must not discriminate in hiring based on political affiliation, but can refuse to serve customers based on political affiliation.
      - jedberg 6y ago
        I never said political affiliation was protected. I was just pointing out that the blanket statement "they can kick out anyone they want" is not correct.
- rohan1024 6y ago
  Elon Musk was publicly bashing Facebook a few hours ago. We already have 3 threads on front page here. The more this bad press happens the more people become aware of Facebook's malpractices and better it is for everyone in long run. This stunt will put WhatsApp blunder on back burner and it is exactly the kind of thing that Facebook does to spin the narrative.
- qznc 6y ago
  Everybody looking at Johannes Casper who fought it in 2016: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-bans-whatsapp-data-transfer-to-facebook/a-35903021 https://www.dw.com/en/germany-bans-whatsapp-data-transfer-to...
- efdee 6y ago
  Seems like the Whatsapp change doesn't really affect EU users.
failrate 6y ago
Lol, people still use WhatsApp?
- recursive 6y ago
  Lol, yes.
duxup 6y ago
I think that was going to be hidden by the recent news regardless ;) Most WhatsApp users probably don't know / care much anyway. Sadly.
adamnemecek 6y ago
What's the WhatsApp blunder?
- wccrawford 6y ago
  It's still on the front page of HN. Forcing people to allow data to go to Facebook if you use Whatsapp.

Whatsapp doesn't have enough penetration in the US for that to have ever mattered. I'd watch the EU for news on that front.

silexia 6y ago
Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. Social media platforms are not some sort of public utility. Social media platforms are private businesses owned by private individuals who can choose who they want to let in and who they want to kick out just like any restaurant or bar or concert hall. If you dislike who a social media platform allows or does not allow, just use a different one. For example, many Trump supporters use parler... A platform which is known to kick off liberal voices. Or better yet, just set up your own blog on your own host and do whatever you want.
- randlet 6y ago
  > Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. I don't think that is true at all. There's definitely lots of business owners here (myself included!) but I don't think it's anywhere close to a majority.
- bidirectional 6y ago
  > Most people on Hacker News are entrepreneurs that run their own private businesses. Has there been a survey done on this? Because that's not the impression I have at all. Entrepeneurs are obviously over-represented in contrast to the general population, but I doubt they're the majority.
- alsetmusic 6y ago
  I believe you’re recycling your material: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25673152 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25673152
- ezekg 6y ago
  > Parler... A platform which is known to kick off liberal voices. What? Parler doesn't seem to censor political content at all. A lack of liberal voice does not mean Parler "kicks them off."
  - danhor 6y ago
    At least their CEO seems to ban "Antifa" supporters: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200630/23525844821/parler-speedruns-content-moderation-learning-curve-goes-we-allow-everything-to-were-good-censors-days.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200630/23525844821/parle...
- jedberg 6y ago
  > Social media platforms are private businesses owned by private individuals who can choose who they want to let in and who they want to kick out just like any restaurant or bar or concert hall. I hate to break it to you, but bars and restaurants and concert halls can't kick out anyone they want to. There are rules around access to semi-public places. For example they can't kick someone out just for wearing a MAGA hat, or for being black, or lots of other protected classes.
  - lotsofpulp 6y ago
    I’m aware of race, religion, sex, age, and some other federally protected statuses in the US that a business can’t discriminate against, but what protected class would political affiliation fall under?
    - ThrowawayR2 6y ago
      California does consider political affiliation as a protected class for employment purposes: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-employment-discrimination-31690.html https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-employmen... That's what real liberalism looks like and it's something we need to extend to the federal level.
      - deleted 6y ago
        [deleted]
      - joshuamorton 6y ago
        Note that this is only for employment. A california business must not discriminate in hiring based on political affiliation, but can refuse to serve customers based on political affiliation.
    - jedberg 6y ago
      I never said political affiliation was protected. I was just pointing out that the blanket statement "they can kick out anyone they want" is not correct.
rohan1024 6y ago
Elon Musk was publicly bashing Facebook a few hours ago. We already have 3 threads on front page here. The more this bad press happens the more people become aware of Facebook's malpractices and better it is for everyone in long run. This stunt will put WhatsApp blunder on back burner and it is exactly the kind of thing that Facebook does to spin the narrative.
qznc 6y ago
Everybody looking at Johannes Casper who fought it in 2016: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-bans-whatsapp-data-transfer-to-facebook/a-35903021 https://www.dw.com/en/germany-bans-whatsapp-data-transfer-to...
efdee 6y ago
Seems like the Whatsapp change doesn't really affect EU users.

failrate 6y ago

Lol, people still use WhatsApp?

recursive 6y ago
Lol, yes.

duxup 6y ago

I think that was going to be hidden by the recent news regardless ;) Most WhatsApp users probably don't know / care much anyway. Sadly.

adamnemecek 6y ago

What's the WhatsApp blunder?

wccrawford 6y ago
It's still on the front page of HN. Forcing people to allow data to go to Facebook if you use Whatsapp.