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> The vast majority of the world will be better off with a twitter/fb etc cut down to size, and the current massive power of social media networks being reduced

> The vast majority of the world will be better off with a twitter/fb etc cut down to size, and the current massive power of social media networks being reduced. That's exactly what state sponsored media, dictatorships and big media conglomerates want to promote. Having layman question if social media is really good or not is great for these people. People forget so fast [0] [0] https://www.npr.org/2021/05/04/993605477/as-arab-spring-unfolded-on-twitter-social-media-gained-foothold-at-npr https://www.npr.org/2021/05/04/993605477/as-arab-spring-unfo...

RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago
People keep bringing up the Arab spring as an argument for Twitter being socially beneficial. However, I am not sure the Arab Spring was a net positive. Tunisia turned out ok, but Libya is still a disaster. Egypt went from Dictator to Islamist Party to Military Dictatorship. Syria has seen massive death and destruction and Assad is still clinging to power. Yemen is involved in a nasty civil war. I think many in the West take a too rosy view of the Arab Spring. For the average Middle Easterner in those countries, the Arab Spring has been a disaster.
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  It takes courage for a nation to take matters into it's own hands and march toward democracy. And it's not an easy road either.
  - nxmnxm99 5y ago
    That doesn't mean it was a good thing. Democracy isn't the only "right" way to maximize outcomes for a society, as much as western moralism might want it to be.
    - 908B64B197 5y ago
      And yet what are the alternatives?
- sbmthakur 5y ago
  Those outcomes are often referred to as Arab Winter that followed the Arab Spring.
- foolinaround 5y ago
  yes, people want change, but sometimes the rate of change is too overwhelming... and once the change is set in motion, no one is able to predict what the next actions would be.
orhmeh09 5y ago
The line you’re promoting is exactly what the state sponsored media that the U.S. employs wants you to believe. Remember that the U.S. set up a fake Twitter clone to sow division and misinformation in Cuba? 2014: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/us-cuban-twitter-zunzuneo-stir-unrest https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/us-cuban-twitt...
- 908B64B197 5y ago
  Apparently they didn't need it: Cubans spreading real information is enough to cause massive riots and for the regime to shut down internet access. [0] [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27812670 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27812670

RcouF1uZ4gsC 5y ago

People keep bringing up the Arab spring as an argument for Twitter being socially beneficial. However, I am not sure the Arab Spring was a net positive. Tunisia turned out ok, but Libya is still a disaster. Egypt went from Dictator to Islamist Party to Military Dictatorship. Syria has seen massive death and destruction and Assad is still clinging to power. Yemen is involved in a nasty civil war. I think many in the West take a too rosy view of the Arab Spring. For the average Middle Easterner in those countries, the Arab Spring has been a disaster.

908B64B197 5y ago
It takes courage for a nation to take matters into it's own hands and march toward democracy. And it's not an easy road either.
- nxmnxm99 5y ago
  That doesn't mean it was a good thing. Democracy isn't the only "right" way to maximize outcomes for a society, as much as western moralism might want it to be.
  - 908B64B197 5y ago
    And yet what are the alternatives?
sbmthakur 5y ago
Those outcomes are often referred to as Arab Winter that followed the Arab Spring.
foolinaround 5y ago
yes, people want change, but sometimes the rate of change is too overwhelming... and once the change is set in motion, no one is able to predict what the next actions would be.

orhmeh09 5y ago

The line you’re promoting is exactly what the state sponsored media that the U.S. employs wants you to believe. Remember that the U.S. set up a fake Twitter clone to sow division and misinformation in Cuba? 2014: https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/us-cuban-twitter-zunzuneo-stir-unrest https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/03/us-cuban-twitt...

908B64B197 5y ago
Apparently they didn't need it: Cubans spreading real information is enough to cause massive riots and for the regime to shut down internet access. [0] [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27812670 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27812670