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> Personally, I just do not buy into this "Facebook is evil" narrative, and even less so having worked there. How would you characterize a group of people who

> Personally, I just do not buy into this "Facebook is evil" narrative, and even less so having worked there. How would you characterize a group of people who built a product used to incite a genocide?[1]. (That’s not hyperbole, that’s literally what happened!) Even if you attribute this to incompetence (is incompetence which leads to genocide excusable?), what is a reasonable reaction once you’ve discovered your product has been used in this way? Has this been Facebook’s reaction? In my eyes, clearly not, as it continues to be used in similar ways to this day. [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/technology/myanmar-facebook.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/06/technology/myanmar-facebo...

halfmatthalfcat 6y ago
The New York Times printed articles and columns that were used as fact and evidence for the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000s. Should we cancel the New York Times? We live in a world of imperfect systems built by imperfect people. Everyone sitting in their glass houses just throwing stones without viewing things from the other side. Do I condemn genocide, of course. Most people condemn genocide. Yet I'm not going to blame Facebook for building a platform for _people_ and then turn around and blame Facebook when _people_ use the platform for nefarious purposes. Something about cake and eating it too. Even removing Facebook from the equation, the internet itself is ultimately responsible for genocide because it allows people to connect easier than ever before. Are you going to blame the very concept of the internet? Because if you're so up in arms about Facebook, you should be rallying for the destruction of the internet as well. Good riddance, have some perspective.
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NoPicklez 6y ago
I think that's a odd perspective to take. It's like saying that Toyota enabled terrorist groups to move it's soldiers and weapons from point A to point B to incite terrorist acts because they manufactured cars. The difference is that Facebook did not create a product TO incite genocide (I think we can call agree on that). However, they did create a platform which brings people together AND bad actors used it as a platform to divide people. Did telecommunications companies and mobile phone manufacturers such as Apple build mobile phones to incide genocide, murder, child rape, drugs etc. No, because mobile communication is known to be used for good and for bad.

halfmatthalfcat 6y ago

The New York Times printed articles and columns that were used as fact and evidence for the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000s. Should we cancel the New York Times? We live in a world of imperfect systems built by imperfect people. Everyone sitting in their glass houses just throwing stones without viewing things from the other side. Do I condemn genocide, of course. Most people condemn genocide. Yet I'm not going to blame Facebook for building a platform for _people_ and then turn around and blame Facebook when _people_ use the platform for nefarious purposes. Something about cake and eating it too. Even removing Facebook from the equation, the internet itself is ultimately responsible for genocide because it allows people to connect easier than ever before. Are you going to blame the very concept of the internet? Because if you're so up in arms about Facebook, you should be rallying for the destruction of the internet as well. Good riddance, have some perspective.

deleted 6y ago
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NoPicklez 6y ago

I think that's a odd perspective to take. It's like saying that Toyota enabled terrorist groups to move it's soldiers and weapons from point A to point B to incite terrorist acts because they manufactured cars. The difference is that Facebook did not create a product TO incite genocide (I think we can call agree on that). However, they did create a platform which brings people together AND bad actors used it as a platform to divide people. Did telecommunications companies and mobile phone manufacturers such as Apple build mobile phones to incide genocide, murder, child rape, drugs etc. No, because mobile communication is known to be used for good and for bad.