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Do you really disagree that there's way, way too much bad stuff on Facebook and it's had a hugely harmful impact on our society? Or, do you just think we should

Do you really disagree that there's way, way too much bad stuff on Facebook and it's had a hugely harmful impact on our society? Or, do you just think we shouldn't do anything about it?

baumy 5y ago
Yes, I disagree with that. Even if I agreed, I'd still think we shouldn't do anything about it. How much bad stuff is "too much?" Which stuff is "bad"? Who gets to decide? Why should I trust them? Who and what else is influencing them? What happens when the people making those decisions change? Why should I cede the authority to decide which "stuff" I get to see to anyone other than myself? There are no good answers to any of these questions, and there never will be.
- camgunz 5y ago
  I don't think we need to get that philosophical about it. Can't use bots, can't pay people to astroturf. Ez.
  - sayhar 5y ago
    yep.
colpabar 5y ago
I don't think the comment was about "too much bad stuff on facebook" at all, rather it was about how an actual facebook employee, who now works for the dnc, is forming a group that will advocate for policy that will affect facebook. When this happens in the banking industry, we call it regulatory capture. When it happens in the insurance/healthcare industry, we call it regulatory capture. When a board member of an oil company is appointed head of the epa, we call it regulatory capture. Why is this case any different? (here's another way of looking at it: if the guy was hired as a "data scientist" by the republicans, wouldn't you question his motives?)
- camgunz 5y ago
  What are you talking about, he went to the DNC. No government relation and no regulatory power. Also I work in politics, and people move between the private, political, and public sector all the time. The GOP hires data scientists from tech whenever they can, because they're sought after professionals. My point was if former social media staffers can't work against this stuff, what should they do.

Do you really disagree that there's way, way too much bad stuff on Facebook and it's had a hugely harmful impact on our society? Or, do you just think we shouldn't do anything about it?

baumy 5y ago

Yes, I disagree with that. Even if I agreed, I'd still think we shouldn't do anything about it. How much bad stuff is "too much?" Which stuff is "bad"? Who gets to decide? Why should I trust them? Who and what else is influencing them? What happens when the people making those decisions change? Why should I cede the authority to decide which "stuff" I get to see to anyone other than myself? There are no good answers to any of these questions, and there never will be.

camgunz 5y ago
I don't think we need to get that philosophical about it. Can't use bots, can't pay people to astroturf. Ez.
- sayhar 5y ago
  yep.

colpabar 5y ago

I don't think the comment was about "too much bad stuff on facebook" at all, rather it was about how an actual facebook employee, who now works for the dnc, is forming a group that will advocate for policy that will affect facebook. When this happens in the banking industry, we call it regulatory capture. When it happens in the insurance/healthcare industry, we call it regulatory capture. When a board member of an oil company is appointed head of the epa, we call it regulatory capture. Why is this case any different? (here's another way of looking at it: if the guy was hired as a "data scientist" by the republicans, wouldn't you question his motives?)

camgunz 5y ago
What are you talking about, he went to the DNC. No government relation and no regulatory power. Also I work in politics, and people move between the private, political, and public sector all the time. The GOP hires data scientists from tech whenever they can, because they're sought after professionals. My point was if former social media staffers can't work against this stuff, what should they do.