Facebook is bad

Casual conversation between friends. Anything goes (almost).
Post Reply
User avatar
Queequeg
Former staff member
Posts: 14456
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:24 pm

Facebook is bad

Post by Queequeg »

The Wall Street Journal is publishing some pretty damning articles on facebook. Might be behind a paywall, but this sums it up:
Time and again, the documents show, in the U.S. and overseas, Facebook’s own researchers have identified the platform’s ill effects, in areas including teen mental health, political discourse and human trafficking. Time and again, despite congressional hearings, its own pledges and numerous media exposés, the company didn’t fix them.

Sometimes the company held back for fear of hurting its business. In other cases, Facebook made changes that backfired. Even Mr. Zuckerberg’s pet initiatives have been thwarted by his own systems and algorithms.

The documents include research reports, online employee discussions and drafts of presentations to senior management, including Mr. Zuckerberg. They aren’t the result of idle grumbling, but rather the formal work of teams whose job was to examine the social network and figure out how it could improve.

They offer perhaps the clearest picture thus far of how broadly Facebook’s problems are known inside the company, up to the CEO himself. And when Facebook speaks publicly about many of these issues, to lawmakers, regulators and, in the case of XCheck, its own Oversight Board, it often provides misleading or partial answers, masking how much it knows.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-f ... 1631541353

Its a monster that even its keepers can't control, even if they wanted to. The comparison to a malignant tumor on a humanity's vital capacity for speech is not exaggeration.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
Norwegian
Posts: 2632
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:36 pm

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Norwegian »

It's time for the powers that be to pull the plug on it, no matter how much money is behind that behemoth. Social media is largely destructive, and Facebook is at the very forefront of this, with its fake news, conspiracy theories, and massive influence on people. There needs to be consequences for all of this, and since it's quite clear that Facebook neither wants nor can fix their problems, it shouldn't just be banned from countries, it should be shut down completely.
User avatar
Queequeg
Former staff member
Posts: 14456
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:24 pm

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Queequeg »

Norwegian wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:04 pm It's time for the powers that be to pull the plug on it, no matter how much money is behind that behemoth. Social media is largely destructive, and Facebook is at the very forefront of this, with its fake news, conspiracy theories, and massive influence on people. There needs to be consequences for all of this, and since it's quite clear that Facebook neither wants nor can fix their problems, it shouldn't just be banned from countries, it should be shut down completely.
One of the points of the linked article is that fb apparently has a special tier for high profile users that permits them to post things that would be violations for ordinary users. This lets them post all sorts of fake news and graphic content without any practical oversight. Its obvious why they won't police these users - they have large followings and generate eyeballs which generate revenue.

On one hand, there is the benefit of being able to readily and passively keep in touch with a large circle of friends - I like to see family photos from my high school and college friends who I don't regularly keep in touch with but am fond of. On the other hand, I've found myself conveying opinions to family and friends about (their) politics that I wish I could take back. And that's on just the personal level. I quit most social media last year, including fb. This and some sports blog communities are my only social media interactions now.

Anyway, to your point, if fb can't keep people from yelling "FIRE!" in crowded theaters (the classic example of the limit of free speech), then we do need to have that conversation about shutting it down. I don't think anything like that could happen, but we need to at least have that conversation and make people are aware that social media is toxic. That at least might get the gears grinding toward some amelioration of the problem. I'm sure the fb staff who leaked the confidential documents to the WSJ had it in mind to set off a serious conversation about these matters after it became clear that fb could not police itself.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
User avatar
Svalaksana
Posts: 477
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 11:11 pm

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Svalaksana »

Definitely agree, it's time to nuke Facebook out of Earth's orbit and history. This poisonous and pervasive sociological abomination has already divided too many families, induced countless psychiatric problems and suicides, served as a vehicle for conspiracy theories and for sharing degrading, grotesque content, thereby permanently damaging the apperception apparatus of an entire generation. Just pull the darned plug at once.
Looking but not seeing - that's my eye.
Thinking but not minding - that's my mind.
Speaking but not expressing - that's my tongue.
Traveling but not going - that's my path.
User avatar
Kurp
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Dec 25, 2020 9:54 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Kurp »

And here I thought Facebook to be the least malignant of the social media tumors. After reading this, Facebook now seems to be the don of an underground internet mafia.

As for the others, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Discord, YouTube (influencers), and Twitter all seem to promote negativity on a wide scale. Either they train your attention span to dwindle down to 30 seconds or less, are a mostly anonymous space for bullying and/or virtue signaling, or they teach you just how unattractive and boring you really are compared to all the other users who are better at faking their lives online. But at least these haven’t been accused of aiding in human trafficking… yet?…

I like Reddit, but perhaps that’s because I only visit communities that appeal to me. NextDoor, MightyNetworks, and Clubhouse seem to appeal more towards older adults and have an overall specific, helpful purpose. I’ve noticed lower occurrences of thread wars and other bickering, but they still do exist enough to be thought of as disturbing. But, again, not nearly as disturbing as the political discourse that can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

I remember when Facebook first started up in the mid naughts, and everyone was leaving behind their MySpace accounts. Back then, Facebook was a promising platform, too, which only allowed people with school email accounts to join. It was without ads and all the other hoopla it has now. It was a relatively safe and secure place to connect with friends, and eventually family. I think the “worst” and most feared scenario about MySpace and Facebook back then was catfishing. Oh, the good ol’ days, when pretending to be a 5’9” Swedish model was the most criminal thing one could be caught doing on a social network….

Sadly, that’s how all of these social media networks evolve. They start out benign and comforting, and later end up covertly ruining societies. And it’s not because of the apps themselves. It goes back to the old saying, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” However it’s not so much the unwitting users who are to blame, so much as the higher ups pulling the strings.

🎶 Money changes everything 🎶

I hate to end this with a cliche’, but I feel horrible for kids today. Luckily I just made it out of school in time before the social network mass hysteria became rampant. I can only imagine how tortured and stressed out school aged children are. I really wish Facebook and the like would disappear from the internet, but that would take a miracle. Can’t leave it up to the parents, either, because it’s a hard battle to win. The backup solution is to offer different, safer platforms. But even then, eventually everyone has their price, and we will just end up at square one all over again.
Last edited by Kurp on Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Norwegian wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:04 pm It's time for the powers that be to pull the plug on it, no matter how much money is behind that behemoth. Social media is largely destructive, and Facebook is at the very forefront of this, with its fake news, conspiracy theories, and massive influence on people. There needs to be consequences for all of this, and since it's quite clear that Facebook neither wants nor can fix their problems, it shouldn't just be banned from countries, it should be shut down completely.
It's worse than just that.. Social media companies literally invest billions into mind control research... It's not just Facebook, it's all large multi-billion dollar social media companies.

They are the single largest toxic element in our society today. They are predators, scum that profit off of human misery, because misery is addictive, and profitable.

Oh, and they now do the bidding of the DNC, and the military. I mean a giant information warfare machine that can control the populations behavior, why wouldn't the government, and military want a piece?

They aren't just a regular company anymore, they are the equivalent of Lockheed Martin for information warfare.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:47 pm
Oh, and they now do the bidding of the DNC...
Oh for lord sake's, what rubbish. Zuck is a Trumpster.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Malcolm wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:23 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:47 pm
Oh, and they now do the bidding of the DNC...
Oh for lord sake's, what rubbish. Zuck is a Trumpster.
They have decidedly taken the side of the DNC. Trump is banned from FB btw.
Twitter and Facebook employees donate over 90% to Democrats, conservative watchdog finds
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news ... hdog-finds

Big tech has worked largely hand in hand with democrats, it has been mainly the republican side who have been banned, and censored by them. This is why one of the Republicans largest agendas is squashing Big Tech using Regulation.
Last edited by Jesse on Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Genjo Conan
Posts: 714
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:27 pm

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Genjo Conan »

[citation needed]

Trump isn't banned from FB, by the way. He's been suspended for two years. This after he fomented an armed insurrection.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Genjo Conan wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:42 pm [citation needed]

Trump isn't banned from FB, by the way. He's been suspended for two years. This after he fomented an armed insurrection.
There are plenty of politicians who have commited genocide, Coup d'états, and commited acts of violence against their citizens still on FB.

You might be alarmed to learn that they really don't give a shit, it's nothing more than politics, power plays, and catering to whoever they see as being of more benefit to themselves, and their profits.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:34 pm
They have decidedly taken the side of the DNC. Trump is banned from FB btw.
No, they took the side of their lawyers. They are not pro-DNC. You have no basis for this opinion.

Facebook is pro $$$ and whoever will let them earn as much as possible.

Joe Biden's Fight With Facebook Is Just Beginning:

https://time.com/6081656/biden-facebook/

U.S. Revives Facebook Suit, Adding Details to Back Claim of a Monopoly:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/19/tech ... trust.html

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/29/move- ... forcement/:
All three branches of the federal government are heating up their pursuit. In the Senate, an unusual bipartisan coalition is emerging, with Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) each waging a war from multiple fronts.

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has called Facebook “part of the problem.” Lina Khan’s FTC is likewise only getting started, with unequivocal support from the White House that feels burned by Facebook’s disingenuous lobbying. The Department of Justice will join, too, aided by state attorneys general. And the courts will continue to turn the wheels of justice, slowly but surely.
Thus, your assertion that the DNC is in cahoots with Facebook is rated false.
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:48 pm
You might be alarmed to learn that they really don't give a shit, it's nothing more than politics, power plays, and catering to whoever they see as being of more benefit to themselves, and their profits.
Of course FB does not care. Zuck is a sociopath.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Malcolm wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:50 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:34 pm
They have decidedly taken the side of the DNC. Trump is banned from FB btw.
No, they took the side of their lawyers. They are not pro-DNC. You have no basis for this opinion.

Facebook is pro $$$ and whoever will let them earn as much as possible.

Joe Biden's Fight With Facebook Is Just Beginning:

https://time.com/6081656/biden-facebook/

U.S. Revives Facebook Suit, Adding Details to Back Claim of a Monopoly:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/19/tech ... trust.html

https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/29/move- ... forcement/:
All three branches of the federal government are heating up their pursuit. In the Senate, an unusual bipartisan coalition is emerging, with Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) each waging a war from multiple fronts.

In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has called Facebook “part of the problem.” Lina Khan’s FTC is likewise only getting started, with unequivocal support from the White House that feels burned by Facebook’s disingenuous lobbying. The Department of Justice will join, too, aided by state attorneys general. And the courts will continue to turn the wheels of justice, slowly but surely.
Thus, your assertion that the DNC is in cahoots with Facebook is rated false.
They took the side of the DNC during the last election. That doesn't make them exactly allies, there are still plenty of interests they don't share. The white house is primarily concerned with being able to direct facebooks censorship.

Banning trump from social media is a blatant example of taking a side, people often forget politics isn't the squeaky clean place they imagine, it is a game played by sociopaths with an obsession with money, power and influence.

Thus, your assertion that the DNC is in cahoots with Facebook is rated false.
It depends what you mean, they have blatantly taken the DNC's side politically in-so-far as elections are concerned. Banning the other sides most popular candidate is exactly that, taking a side.

If Trump had won the election, do you really believe he would be 'suspended' or banned from social media?
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:58 pm
They took the side of the DNC during the last election.
No, they did not.
It depends what you mean, they have blatantly taken the DNC's side politically in-so-far as elections are concerned.
No, they have not.

Banning the other sides most popular candidate is exactly that, taking a side.
That happened after the election, because he tried to stage a coup, that is, illegally remain in office beyond his elected term.
If Trump had won the election, do you really believe he would be 'suspended' or banned from social media?
Which goes to prove my point. Facebook is not in cahoots with the DNC.
Genjo Conan
Posts: 714
Joined: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:27 pm

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Genjo Conan »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:48 pm
There are plenty of politicians who have commited genocide, Coup d'états, and commited acts of violence against their citizens still on FB.
Well, that's true. But the fact that Abiy Ahmed, say, remains on Facebook while Trump has been suspended doesn't show that the DNC is pulling the strings.
You might be alarmed to learn that they really don't give a shit, it's nothing more than politics, power plays, and catering to whoever they see as being of more benefit to themselves, and their profits.
I'm a socialist, so yeah man, my mind is frak blown to learn that a giant corporation is unprincipled, thanks for the heads up.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Malcolm wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:26 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:58 pm
They took the side of the DNC during the last election.
No, they did not.
It depends what you mean, they have blatantly taken the DNC's side politically in-so-far as elections are concerned.
No, they have not.
Banning the other sides most popular candidate is exactly that, taking a side.
That happened after the election, because he tried to stage a coup, that is, illegally remain in office beyond his elected term.
If Trump had won the election, do you really believe he would be 'suspended' or banned from social media?
Which goes to prove my point. Facebook is not in cahoots with the DNC.
Your out of your mind. His attempt at a coup was merely incidental to his banning, it served as a convenient reason for it, nothing more. the coup attempt was not over after the election either, the only reason trump isn't in office right now is because the old guard republicans ditched him, Cheney, Bush, Pence, McConnell type republicans. Had they fully supported his election stealing claims, and doubled down, we'd be under a Trump dictatorship ATM. Trump would not be banned from Social media.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Genjo Conan wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:30 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:48 pm
There are plenty of politicians who have commited genocide, Coup d'états, and commited acts of violence against their citizens still on FB.
Well, that's true. But the fact that Abiy Ahmed, say, remains on Facebook while Trump has been suspended doesn't show that the DNC is pulling the strings.
You might be alarmed to learn that they really don't give a shit, it's nothing more than politics, power plays, and catering to whoever they see as being of more benefit to themselves, and their profits.
I'm a socialist, so yeah man, my mind is frak blown to learn that a giant corporation is unprincipled, thanks for the heads up.
Your welcome.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:30 pm
His attempt at a coup was merely incidental to his banning, it served as a convenient reason for it, nothing more.
It was the cause of his being banned from Twitter, it wasn't merely incidental. BTW, I think you've confused FB and Twitter. Twitter, definitely liberal. FB, home of the Trumpsters.
the coup attempt was not over after the election either,
Correct, the election was on November 3rd, the insurrection was on January 6th. He continued to press his false claims after his term was up and he still does.
the only reason trump isn't in office right now is because the old guard republicans ditched him, Cheney, Bush, Pence, McConnell type republicans.
Well, no. The reason he is not in office is because he lost the election, and everyone in the Gvt. did their jobs, like they were supposed to do, according to the law.
Had they fully supported his election stealing claims, and doubled down, we'd be under a Trump dictatorship ATM.
But they didn't and they wouldn't, for a number of reasons, the principal one being that what Trump wanted was illegal, and they swore an oath to the Constitution, not to Trump.
Trump would not be banned from Social media.
Seems like you are pretty angry that Trump is not permitted on these platforms. Why is that?
Malcolm
Posts: 42974
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Malcolm »

Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:36 pm
Genjo Conan wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:30 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:48 pm
There are plenty of politicians who have commited genocide, Coup d'états, and commited acts of violence against their citizens still on FB.
Well, that's true. But the fact that Abiy Ahmed, say, remains on Facebook while Trump has been suspended doesn't show that the DNC is pulling the strings.
You might be alarmed to learn that they really don't give a shit, it's nothing more than politics, power plays, and catering to whoever they see as being of more benefit to themselves, and their profits.
I'm a socialist, so yeah man, my mind is frak blown to learn that a giant corporation is unprincipled, thanks for the heads up.
Your welcome.
:rolling: :rolling: :rolling:
Jesse
Posts: 2127
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 6:54 am
Location: Virginia, USA

Re: Facebook is bad

Post by Jesse »

Malcolm wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:41 pm
Jesse wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 8:36 pm
Genjo Conan wrote: Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:30 pm

Well, that's true. But the fact that Abiy Ahmed, say, remains on Facebook while Trump has been suspended doesn't show that the DNC is pulling the strings.



I'm a socialist, so yeah man, my mind is frak blown to learn that a giant corporation is unprincipled, thanks for the heads up.
Your welcome.
:rolling: :rolling: :rolling:
Mara says hi.
Image
Thus shall ye think of all this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud,
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
Post Reply

Return to “Lounge”