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Quite - so far the tech community (at the top level), with a few exceptions, has shown itself quite willing to bend itself to whatever is required as long as it

Quite - so far the tech community (at the top level), with a few exceptions, has shown itself quite willing to bend itself to whatever is required as long as it can carry on making money. The cowardice involved is apparent, do not look to corporations as your potential protectors. They've never turned out to be before, they're not going to be this time either. [0] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_involved_in_the_Holocaust https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companies_involved_in_...

OgsyedIE 2y ago
What makes you think that Zuck, Ellison, Pichai etc are "obeying in advance" and haven't already received implied verbal threats of imprisonment?
- close04 2y ago
  Meta or Alphabet did whatever they needed to extract profits from their users. What makes you think that all of a sudden they would pivot from chasing profits to defending those users, as opposed to playing ball with whoever they need to in order to make even more profits? What matters at the end of the day is that despite all the big talk of "freedom of speech" and "doing what's right", companies like Meta or YC almost always bend the knee (and the spine) and play ball to make money even if it contradicts everything they purportedly stood for. Just replace the motto.
  - nonrandomstring 2y ago
    > What makes you think that all of a sudden they would pivot from chasing profits to defending those users, You're putting YC into the same box as Meta? I'm probably very naive, but I think it's necessary to defend your users if your business model depends on them. What is YC's business model? It's "innovation". HN is a forum cultivated to encourage free exchange of disruptive ideas. That is not possible under conditions of technofascism. I expect the creators of this forum understand that, are worried, but have maybe convinced themselves it's safe to play along at ideology for now. If I thought there were not a significant cohort of humanist/anti-fascist technologists here I would not stay or contribute and I expect I speak for many others.
    - close04 2y ago
      > You're putting YC into the same box as Meta? Only in the sense that their primary interest is making money and they'll do what it takes to keep making money, whether that's in education, crypto, social media, or the euphemistically called "defense" industry. > I think it's necessary to defend your users if your business model depends on them As a user of Big Tech I'm having a hard time coming up with too many situations when I was "defended" by them. Rather exploited just short of losing me (and occasionally past that). > HN is a forum cultivated to encourage free exchange of disruptive ideas. That is not possible under conditions of technofascism. HN is just a place for people to talk. The actions are where the checks are written, and that's YC. For YC the best bet is to keep playing ball and not endanger the money stream. Almost none of these companies are actively fighting what's going on now. They're trying to straddle the line between playing ball with the power while looking moral about it.
      - nonrandomstring 2y ago
        Yes, most spineless. Community is shared interests worth standing up for together all the same, so it's not always a watering-hole around money. But I get your drift.
intended 2y ago
Trump agreed on TV, that he believed meta’s capitulation was out of fear of him. For the country of free speech, to have not even noticed a threat to a media company? How is America in a position to say anything to anyone?
RGamma 2y ago
Having a global investment portfolio and probably several doomsday bunkers also helps to be indifferent about it all.

OgsyedIE 2y ago

What makes you think that Zuck, Ellison, Pichai etc are "obeying in advance" and haven't already received implied verbal threats of imprisonment?

close04 2y ago
Meta or Alphabet did whatever they needed to extract profits from their users. What makes you think that all of a sudden they would pivot from chasing profits to defending those users, as opposed to playing ball with whoever they need to in order to make even more profits? What matters at the end of the day is that despite all the big talk of "freedom of speech" and "doing what's right", companies like Meta or YC almost always bend the knee (and the spine) and play ball to make money even if it contradicts everything they purportedly stood for. Just replace the motto.
- nonrandomstring 2y ago
  > What makes you think that all of a sudden they would pivot from chasing profits to defending those users, You're putting YC into the same box as Meta? I'm probably very naive, but I think it's necessary to defend your users if your business model depends on them. What is YC's business model? It's "innovation". HN is a forum cultivated to encourage free exchange of disruptive ideas. That is not possible under conditions of technofascism. I expect the creators of this forum understand that, are worried, but have maybe convinced themselves it's safe to play along at ideology for now. If I thought there were not a significant cohort of humanist/anti-fascist technologists here I would not stay or contribute and I expect I speak for many others.
  - close04 2y ago
    > You're putting YC into the same box as Meta? Only in the sense that their primary interest is making money and they'll do what it takes to keep making money, whether that's in education, crypto, social media, or the euphemistically called "defense" industry. > I think it's necessary to defend your users if your business model depends on them As a user of Big Tech I'm having a hard time coming up with too many situations when I was "defended" by them. Rather exploited just short of losing me (and occasionally past that). > HN is a forum cultivated to encourage free exchange of disruptive ideas. That is not possible under conditions of technofascism. HN is just a place for people to talk. The actions are where the checks are written, and that's YC. For YC the best bet is to keep playing ball and not endanger the money stream. Almost none of these companies are actively fighting what's going on now. They're trying to straddle the line between playing ball with the power while looking moral about it.
    - nonrandomstring 2y ago
      Yes, most spineless. Community is shared interests worth standing up for together all the same, so it's not always a watering-hole around money. But I get your drift.

intended 2y ago

Trump agreed on TV, that he believed meta’s capitulation was out of fear of him. For the country of free speech, to have not even noticed a threat to a media company? How is America in a position to say anything to anyone?

RGamma 2y ago

Having a global investment portfolio and probably several doomsday bunkers also helps to be indifferent about it all.