OT: The Facebook Papers

[Elefantino]

I don't do the Facebook, only occasionally looking at bikes on Facebook Marketplace (which doesn't require a login), but I find the Facebook Papers revelations fascinating on many levels.

One, it marks a level of cooperation previously unseen among major news organizations, breathtaking in its scope.

Two, it shows that -- to no one's surprise -- Facebook was a master manipulator, giving five times as many formulaic weight points to "angry" reactions as it did to "like."

Third, it shows how Facebook became more powerful than anyone other than perhaps Zuckerberg could have imagined, and not in a good way. Governments don't have this power.

[Veloo]

There's a satirical video out there where the guy in front of the camera talks about how the gov't tried unsuccessfully for years to keep tabs on people. All that changed when they invented Facebook and now they can't keep up with how much users are willingly posting all their photos, whereabouts, plans, etc.

It's a well done video, very spot on and (IMO) hilarious.

Just haven't been able to find it again.

[duff_duffy]

There was a great series/special on PBS about information theory and power of social network platforms. I can’t remember the name of it but it really did a great job of showcasing the science behind how powerful Facebook and similar platforms can and will get. If anyone remembers it please share….if your still thinking Facebook (and similar sites) is just a stupid networking site, I recommend watching.

[verticaldoug]

Originally Posted by duff_duffy

There was a great series/special on PBS about information theory and power of social network platforms. I can’t remember the name of it but it really did a great job of showcasing the science behind how powerful Facebook and similar platforms can and will get. If anyone remembers it please share….if your still thinking Facebook (and similar sites) is just a stupid networking site, I recommend watching.

Do you mean Niall Ferguson's Networld?

[redir]

I do need to catch up on all of this and try to keep an open mind. I know we are all susceptible to propaganda, confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance and so on. We tend to want to seek out our own echo chambers... But still. It only takes a second to fact check something. So when i see something that looks like BS to me on FB instead of running with it I just look for better sources. It's not that hard. SO the question is, is that really Facebooks fault? Maybe it is I don't know, that's why I am trying to be open about it.

[DeBike]

There is a book titled, "The Circle", written by David Eggers. It was released in 2013 and the novel is about this very thing. It is a pretty good read, maybe more so now with the revelations about Facebook coming out. The manipulation, the distortion of so called fact and truth, the ability to sway and control public opinion and way of thinking is real.

Obviously, Facebook is not alone. Main street media, whether it is liberal or conservative is just as culpable. We have become a society of extremes, IMO, not a good thing.

The way the human race lives these days is insanity. We are the makers of our destruction. Authors such as G. Orwell, HG Welles and others were prophesiers. We can be led to water, and made to drink, toxic or not.

[prototoast]

To me, I think the defining characteristic of Facebook is that at this point, they don't actually care about the quality of their product. They are Papa John's Pizza for a handbag off Alibaba. They want to make money, they care about growth and revenue metrics, but there is no pride in the user experience.

This was the chief tension following the Instagram acquisition. While Instagram is not immune from flaws, the founders of Instagram we're sincerely committed to trying to make it a quality product. Following Facebook's acquisition, they were pressured to abandon notions of quality in favor of engagement and advertising sales, eventually leading to the Instagram founders leaving Facebook.

Despite Facebook's push to make Instagram more Facebook, it still has some remnants of its founding, and tends to be viewed more favorably by people who aren't looking to join insane conspiracy theory groups.

It is not necessarily a bad business strategy in the long run to know about quality, but time and again, Zuckerberg has shown no interest. Maybe he's right. Maybe the best long-term financial strategy is to just squeeze every penny out that you can, product quality be damned. But I will note that private equity firms that operate companies in this way often leave those companies in ruins once they have extracted a little bit of profit. At this point, would anybody be sad if Facebook became the next Sears or KB toys?

[peanutgallery]

When it gets down to it, sort of the point of its creation. That...and a good valuation for the IPO. Exists for the value to stakeholders, not the user

You can't look at orgs like FB with an open mind, only cynicism

Now... they're going to rebrand. I'm thinking the new name is going to be something like Friendly Kitten or Refreshing Summer Rain

Originally Posted by redir

I do need to catch up on all of this and try to keep an open mind. I know we are all susceptible to propaganda, confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance and so on. We tend to want to seek out our own echo chambers... But still. It only takes a second to fact check something. So when i see something that looks like BS to me on FB instead of running with it I just look for better sources. It's not that hard. SO the question is, is that really Facebooks fault? Maybe it is I don't know, that's why I am trying to be open about it.

[AngryScientist]

I dont know anything about that and do not have a Facebook account, but do look at other people's bikes, dogs and food on instagram.

Perhaps I'm incorrect, but if Facebook and Instagram both shut down abruptly, completely and indefinitely in the next hour, I dont think it would have any effect on my life at all.

[charliedid]

I love Facebook

[redir]

LOL Friendly Kitten.

Yes Kittens do still own the Internet.

My favorite platform of social media has become TikTok. I know they do the same thing with algorithms but so far it works great for me. 90% of my feed is musicians, magicians, hand craft artisans and comedians from all over the world. It's great.

[kppolich]

Love Facebook, but don't divulge any personal information, comment on any posts outside of bike stuff or react to posts and you'll be fine.

[sg8357]

Originally Posted by peanutgallery

[snip]
Now... they're going to rebrand. I'm thinking the new name is going to be something like Friendly Kitten or Refreshing Summer Rain

So the new RSR adverts will be like the drug adverts,
Happy people playing on sunny beaches with the following voice over....

Side effects may include a wide spread depression, increase in suicidal thoughts, unintended ethnic cleansing and random murders.

[marciero]

"Zucked" by Roger McNamee, an early FB VC investor and mentor to Zuckerberg, is a good read on FB vis a vis disinformation, misinformation, virality, social engineering, behaviorism, etc.

[shoota]

Originally Posted by DeBike

There is a book titled, "The Circle", written by David Eggers. It was released in 2013 and the novel is about this very thing. It is a pretty good read, maybe more so now with the revelations about Facebook coming out. The manipulation, the distortion of so called fact and truth, the ability to sway and control public opinion and way of thinking is real.

Obviously, Facebook is not alone. Main street media, whether it is liberal or conservative is just as culpable. We have become a society of extremes, IMO, not a good thing.

The way the human race lives these days is insanity. We are the makers of our destruction. Authors such as G. Orwell, HG Welles and others were prophesiers. We can be led to water, and made to drink, toxic or not.

Spot on, totally agree. It's not hard to track the political divide and social media timelines, they line up almost perfectly. https://public.tableau.com/app/profi...THEM/USvs_THEM

(Also, it's "mainstream media")