3 ms·

Sometimes I wonder if there are cynical teams in Google or Facebook who implement features and also write public apologies for those features ahead of time. Ma

Sometimes I wonder if there are cynical teams in Google or Facebook who implement features and also write public apologies for those features ahead of time. Maybe the really advanced ones have PR statements that say "Oh, this feature sounds bad but it only really does this thing which is mostly okay" and then another one for "okay yeah you caught us it doesn't just do that okay thing but all the other not okay stuff you worried it did ahead of time". I'm sure there are entire machine learning teams working out the best way to word these non-apologies and the best schedule for releasing them to best soften the impact of getting caught with their hands in the (literal or figurative) cookie jar.

laurent92 6y ago
Much like testing what would happen if a migration script dropped a column, features need to be tested against the possible outcomes in the court of opinion. I expect a well-organized corporate to have Product Owners who design the packaging of the feature and have it reviewed by the higher-ups when it’s a user-facing feature, or to design the apology letter and have it reviewed by the higher-ups when it’s an advertiser-facing feature. But it’s our role as a society to not be gullible, and eventually organize against such behaviors, which this judge is doing.
TeMPOraL 6y ago
I think the reality is much simpler. There's nobody in Google writing public apologies in parallel to implementing features. Through the magic of free market economy, they can just outsource it. Some court frowns at what they're doing? A quick call to a reputation management company (which they probably have on a retainer, or at least on speed dial), and they get all the press releases and training they need to manage the crisis. Why do it in house, if you can have experts do it for you?

3 ms·

Sometimes I wonder if there are cynical teams in Google or Facebook who implement features and also write public apologies for those features ahead of time. Ma

by danudey 6y ago

laurent92 6y ago
Much like testing what would happen if a migration script dropped a column, features need to be tested against the possible outcomes in the court of opinion. I expect a well-organized corporate to have Product Owners who design the packaging of the feature and have it reviewed by the higher-ups when it’s a user-facing feature, or to design the apology letter and have it reviewed by the higher-ups when it’s an advertiser-facing feature. But it’s our role as a society to not be gullible, and eventually organize against such behaviors, which this judge is doing.
TeMPOraL 6y ago
I think the reality is much simpler. There's nobody in Google writing public apologies in parallel to implementing features. Through the magic of free market economy, they can just outsource it. Some court frowns at what they're doing? A quick call to a reputation management company (which they probably have on a retainer, or at least on speed dial), and they get all the press releases and training they need to manage the crisis. Why do it in house, if you can have experts do it for you?