If Facebook is a toilet, Jon Oliver took a big ass shit on it.
Link?
I think the demonization of Facebook has gotten a bit out of hand. Letās be honest, they deserve criticism but the sheer ferocity of it lately makes me think itās bit much. In fact, it seems to me like itās being coordinated by some group/entity.
agreed.
FB made the media an enemy a few years back. IMHO this is why everything is hyped up these days when it comes to FB. The scandals/issues are certainly true, but not sure if all of them deserve this much attention.
I dont work for Fb, but I don't understand why it faces so much of criticism for facilitating free-speech conversations. Based on John Oliver, the Burma crisis is a direct result of fb's large mkt share in Burma. It's like saying, 9/11 was due to invention of airplanes!
Because they made enemies of the media.
No, that's not a fair comparison. Fb should take responsibility for what is shared on the platform. Although, providing a solid platform to voice a opinion is in itself a good business (what FB wants itself to be treated as), the consequences of something like that often determine what restrictions are placed. The tobacco industry created a addictive product, but because of it's usage by public, had to accept responsibility and restrictions from the government. If not, you could argue the same about the tobacco industry and nuclear technology. The best analogy for me is between Facebook and alcohol industry. Both are being used to cause harm (either directly or indirectly) hence must be regulated.
John Oliver just wants what all other TV casters want... More views and heāll say anything to get it. Like they donāt already have news, radio, and tv in Myanmar. Hitler did not have Facebook. If people want to spread hate, it was possible way before FB. Ironic that by hating on an entire company, he seems so much like the Buddhist monk.
I think he definitely went overboard especially with the toilet comparisons. But some of his points are valid and a little introspection won't hurt. If nothing it's atleast a good gauge of the real world impact that Silicon valley as a whole has on the world. It should make people at Facebook proud that people form opinions and take decisions based on news and information available on the platform. But it should also scare them and invigorate a sense of responsibility to police the platform which so many people trust. Just shrugging it off and saying people can spread hate without fb too imo is not the right conclusion.
I agree and we are doing a lot. We have hired 30,000 people to do integrity efforts. A lot of internal systems have also changed to help with security and well-being even more. Zuck also testified in front of congress. But in reality FB does not do much more in these areas than Google. When was the last time Google was criticized and scrutinized this heavily? Itās easy to point fingers at FB because we have been in the news. Thatās how the media works. I do hope that people and journalists do their due diligence and the scrutiny is not just for views and ratings.
FB is a nice scapegoat for the failings of our leaders in politics, education, and journalist and editorial communities. Blaming FB is the same as āshooting the messengerā. We reap what we sow and FB is just the platform for our own collective stupidity as society these days. Long $FB.
āBlasting by..ā