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> Forrest, Australia's richest man and chairman of Fortescue Metals Group (FMG.AX), said he was taking the action to stop people losing money to clickbait adver

> Forrest, Australia's richest man and chairman of Fortescue Metals Group (FMG.AX), said he was taking the action to stop people losing money to clickbait advertising scams, such as ones using his image to promote cryptocurrency schemes. > This action is being taken on behalf of those everyday Australians – Mums and Dads, Grans and Grandads – who work all their lives to gather their savings and to ensure those savings aren't swindled away by scammers," Forrest said in a statement. Lol wait does anyone actually believe this shit? This article reads like it was dictated by the rich man's publicist. This is what throwing a tantrum looks like when you have infinite money.

DoItToMe81 5y ago
If it were an Australian source, it may very well literally be that it was dictated by his publicist. Many Australian mining magnates are also part of a media cartel, and have financial interests against new media.
- weq 5y ago
  Politicans and Miners are indistinguishable in this Australia. The main political party is in cahoots with the large media companies and is a boys club of ex-miners come polticans. https://act.greenpeace.org.au/dirtypower https://act.greenpeace.org.au/dirtypower
- maybelsyrup 5y ago
  This is great to know -- feels commonsensical in a way (I think Australia and I think Murdoch, mining, and fun loud Aussies traveling abroad, so 2/3 I guess). Thanks!
chris_wot 5y ago
Well, it’s overreach, but only slightly. Facebook is not stopping obvious scams he has reported, so yeah - causing Facebook pain seems like a very good way to make them out systems into place that stop scammers. If a billionaire wants to make Facebook’s costs go up, he will. And this particular billionaire is quite willing to spend a lot of money to make it happen. Makes him look good in Australia. There isn’t any downside for him.
- maybelsyrup 5y ago
  Oh I'm not complaining if he wants to bleed Facebook half to death. My gripe is more with something like this appearing in a wire service masquerading as journalism and not, say, a pop-up ad, or one of those flyers they hand out in front of the flea market. Bad people doing good things every now and again are still bad people.
  - Handytinge 5y ago
    What an odd viewpoint. The article is factual reporting on what's happening, and includes a statement from one of they key parties. This statement will obviously have been vetted or written by a PR person who works for that party. Journalism regularly includes quotes from parties involved without accusation of dimishment of quality; In fact it's more common for journalists to face criticism for _not_ having taken statements from parties. The article shows no opinion of either party being "good" or "bad".

DoItToMe81 5y ago

If it were an Australian source, it may very well literally be that it was dictated by his publicist. Many Australian mining magnates are also part of a media cartel, and have financial interests against new media.

weq 5y ago
Politicans and Miners are indistinguishable in this Australia. The main political party is in cahoots with the large media companies and is a boys club of ex-miners come polticans. https://act.greenpeace.org.au/dirtypower https://act.greenpeace.org.au/dirtypower
maybelsyrup 5y ago
This is great to know -- feels commonsensical in a way (I think Australia and I think Murdoch, mining, and fun loud Aussies traveling abroad, so 2/3 I guess). Thanks!

chris_wot 5y ago

Well, it’s overreach, but only slightly. Facebook is not stopping obvious scams he has reported, so yeah - causing Facebook pain seems like a very good way to make them out systems into place that stop scammers. If a billionaire wants to make Facebook’s costs go up, he will. And this particular billionaire is quite willing to spend a lot of money to make it happen. Makes him look good in Australia. There isn’t any downside for him.

maybelsyrup 5y ago
Oh I'm not complaining if he wants to bleed Facebook half to death. My gripe is more with something like this appearing in a wire service masquerading as journalism and not, say, a pop-up ad, or one of those flyers they hand out in front of the flea market. Bad people doing good things every now and again are still bad people.
- Handytinge 5y ago
  What an odd viewpoint. The article is factual reporting on what's happening, and includes a statement from one of they key parties. This statement will obviously have been vetted or written by a PR person who works for that party. Journalism regularly includes quotes from parties involved without accusation of dimishment of quality; In fact it's more common for journalists to face criticism for _not_ having taken statements from parties. The article shows no opinion of either party being "good" or "bad".