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> The investigation shows how Facebook has allowed major abuses of its platform in poor, small and non-western countries in order to prioritize addressing abuse
by blfr 6y ago
> The investigation shows how Facebook has allowed major abuses of its platform in poor, small and non-western countries in order to prioritize addressing abuses that attract media attention or affect the US and other wealthy countries. The company acted quickly to address political manipulation affecting countries such as the US, Taiwan, South Korea and Poland, while moving slowly or not at all on cases in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Mexico, and much of Latin America.
Alternatively, Facebook itself is more interested in manipulating political outcomes in the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and Poland, and less so or not at all in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Mexico, and much of Latin America.
- yrgulation 6y agoNot pertinent to the main issue, but I just find it funny how the guardian never forgets to include such “facts” about countries: “poor, small and non-western countries”. Does similarly when it talks about racial “equality” up to the point its readership will pretty much always associate certain countries and ethnicities with poverty. Basically, promoting stereotypes.
- MajorBee 6y agoDoes it do anyone any favours by pretending that these countries are not "poor, small, and non-western"? I suppose you can replace "poor" with "developing", but it's a fine balancing act between unfaithful stereotyping and patronizing epithets.
- djhn 6y agoCalling Mexico small and poor is a weird choice. Would China and Brazil qualify as well?
- rodolphoarruda 6y agoI'm absolutely surprised that Brazil is not even mentioned in the article. Political manipulation since early 2019 in Brazil has been jaw dropping.
- alisonatwork 6y agoI don't think the intention here is to imply that all of these countries are all three adjectives. It's that poor countries, small countries and non-western countries appear to be getting less prioritization than rich countries, large countries and western countries.
- titzer 6y ago> Alternatively, Facebook itself is more interested in manipulating political outcomes in the US, Taiwan, South Korea, and Poland.... It's even worse than that, and more craven. They are only interested in maximizing shareholder revenue, and have absolutely no loyalty or political agenda beyond that. They lack any moral compass and are only held in check by the potential for consequences, be that in the marketplace or the threat of government investigations. They absolutely do not give a shit about anything but that sweet cash money and gobble gobble growth. Anything they seem to care about at any given moment, anything they mouth in the press, anything they add to their koolaid or internal reality distortion field, is a means to that end.
- marcusjt 6y agoIf true then surely that's better, not worse, as it means that Facebook simply needs to be suitably (financially) incentivised to change its behaviour - perhaps achievable via tighter regulation, penalties & rewards, etc etc.