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Social media censorship or responsibility?

Started by Tank, January 09, 2021, 10:14:49 AM

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Tank

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have permanently banned Donald Trump.

Good idea, bad idea?

I'm vexed, because while I agree with the idea of banning the tangerine turd I'm not sure it is ultimately a good thing for unelected commercial organisations to wield that sort of power. How would I feel if they had banned Joe Biden?

Thoughts?
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

xSilverPhinx

Quote from: Tank on January 09, 2021, 10:14:49 AM
I'm vexed, because while I agree with the idea of banning the tangerine turd I'm not sure it is ultimately a good thing for unelected commercial organisations to wield that sort of power. How would I feel if they had banned Joe Biden?

Same.

It's a new age, and social media already are important political players just like traditional media are, although in different ways. I'm betting that, like their more traditional counterparts, these social media platforms will eventually diverge into pro-left and pro-right and people will flock to whichever suits their ideologies.

(Maybe Twitter, Instagram and Facebook didn't like that Trump called his accounts "Trump media" and finally banned him on that account.  :deadpan:)     
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dark Lightning

I agree with their actions. As far as Biden potentially getting banned, all he has to do is break their rules. They ban a lot of people, and the chump is only one of many, albeit a high profile one. The chump got away with it only because of the office.

billy rubin

its a private company and nit charged with public trust.

if someone told me i had to allow trump to say anything he wanted in internet forum no matter what id be resiatant.

freedom of speech in america is an issue only with government institutions. trump is free to start up a sicial media pkatform of his own at any time

i would rather see 100 percent identical treatment of everybody on a private social platform. trump should have been banned years ago when he violated their terms of service


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Recusant

I agree with billy rubin. There are already alternatives in place for people who feel a need to spew malicious disinformation and promote fascism. In my opinion, using government power to force private companies to modify how they deal with goons like Trump is in itself repressive.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Sandra Craft

Quote from: Dark Lightning on January 09, 2021, 04:42:37 PM
I agree with their actions. As far as Biden potentially getting banned, all he has to do is break their rules. They ban a lot of people, and the chump is only one of many, albeit a high profile one. The chump got away with it only because of the office.

I agree, my only problem with it is that it's 4 years too late and his followers are going to see this as significant in their delusional way.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

billy rubin

you can't talk to them, sandra. i've tried, and i all i get back is assertions of fake news and declarations that what they ingest in their bubble is all there is.

th eproblem is th eidea that there are alternate sets of facts to choose from, and that only your personally chosen source of information is a valid one.

the conservative sin america have dumbed-down people by defunding education and pushing anti-science agendas for years now. the result is a pliable electorate that has a low levekl of critical thinking skills, a suspicion of science, and an acceptance of a reality becaue it aligns with their opinions, rather than becaus eit aligns with facts.


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Tank

Quote from: billy rubin on January 10, 2021, 01:02:46 AM
you can't talk to them, sandra. i've tried, and i all i get back is assertions of fake news and declarations that what they ingest in their bubble is all there is.

th eproblem is th eidea that there are alternate sets of facts to choose from, and that only your personally chosen source of information is a valid one.

the conservative sin america have dumbed-down people by defunding education and pushing anti-science agendas for years now. the result is a pliable electorate that has a low levekl of critical thinking skills, a suspicion of science, and an acceptance of a reality becaue it aligns with their opinions, rather than becaus eit aligns with facts.

Well said.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Tom62

Maybe we should ban Facebook and Twitter instead  ;).

The problem with social media is that they make an artificial model of you, so that they can feed you with information that keeps your attention as long as possible. The more you like something, the more you are fed with similar information, while leaving out opposite views. To keep yourself informed about what the real facts are and what are opinions, conspiracy theories or fake news, is pretty hard

Assume for example that you are a Bernie Sanders supporter on Facebook. How often will you get news feeds telling you that Trump is not a racist, nor a misogynist; and that Antifa and BLM are terrorist organisations? Imagine that you are a Trump supported instead. How often will you get news feeds telling you that Trump is a racist and misogynist; and that Antifa and BLM are peaceful organisations?

I've got friends on Facebook with broad points of views. So my Facebook account is flooded with pro- and anti Trump; pro- and anti- Antifa; pro- and anti BLM opinions. When I opposed some of the more radical opinions, I encountered extreme intolerance that makes any constructive and sensible discussion impossible.

Media and especially social media are fighting for the intention of people. They do that by dividing them (us vs them); by providing opinions instead of news and by creating a platform for conspiracy theorists and other lunatics. They can even decide now, who is allowed to use free speech and who don't. I find it very scary that so much power is in the hands of just a couple of companies that don't take any responsibility of their own actions.
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Tank

You laugh but maybe you are right, we should ban Social Media. Or possibly the use of behavioural algorithms ?
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Old Seer

Quote from: billy rubin on January 09, 2021, 05:24:50 PM
its a private company and nit charged with public trust.

if someone told me i had to allow trump to say anything he wanted in internet forum no matter what id be resiatant.

freedom of speech in america is an issue only with government institutions. trump is free to start up a sicial media pkatform of his own at any time

i would rather see 100 percent identical treatment of everybody on a private social platform. trump should have been banned years ago when he violated their terms of service
Agree, without prejudice.
The only thing possible the world needs saving from are the ones running it.
Oh lord, save us from those wanting to save us.
I'm not a Theist.

billy rubin

Quote from: Tank on January 10, 2021, 09:43:38 AM
You laugh but maybe you are right, we should ban Social Media. Or possibly the use of behavioural algorithms ?

ive actually done that, by banning myself from all social media except here and a few esoteric motorycle forums that are similar. im not on facebook, instagram, twitter, tiktok, or anywhere of that nature.

i do have snapchat to send my number one daughter ridiculous photgraphs now and then.

i gave up on the social media stuff after it became apparent that they were harvesting information about me. first cluse were the questionaires:

-- betcha we can tell your IQ in twenty questions . . .

--what personality type are you? answre this quiz to find out . . .

-- 9 out 10 men cannot answer these questions about politics

and so on.

theres scads of useful stuff on social media platforms-- lots of specialized interest groups, easy contacts with friends and relatives, plenty of ways to broaden your horizons. but just not worth it to me.


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

billy rubin

Quote from: Old Seer on January 10, 2021, 07:41:37 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on January 09, 2021, 05:24:50 PM
its a private company and nit charged with public trust.

if someone told me i had to allow trump to say anything he wanted in internet forum no matter what id be resiatant.

freedom of speech in america is an issue only with government institutions. trump is free to start up a sicial media pkatform of his own at any time

i would rather see 100 percent identical treatment of everybody on a private social platform. trump should have been banned years ago when he violated their terms of service
Agree, without prejudice.

but im going to point out tho that the biggies-- facebook, twitter, and instagram-- only got religion after trump was on his way out. sure, he'll be a noisy force for some time to come, but he isn't saying anything different now from what he said before. how much of their ethics got easier when they decided he wasn't as profitable?


"I cannot understand the popularity of that kind of music, which is based on repetition. In a civilized society, things don't need to be said more than three times."

Dark Lightning

I don't think that the said owners could be that cynical. I suspect that the office of the President of the United States was a pretty intimidating political entity for them to block. The over-the-top activities of the last few days have even some hard core Republican (politocos) recoiling in horror. Admittedly, that's probably because their own political careers are going to be toast, following the chump as he swirls down the bowl into the swamp, if they don't disengage.

Old Seer

Quote from: billy rubin on January 11, 2021, 01:03:55 AM
Quote from: Old Seer on January 10, 2021, 07:41:37 PM
Quote from: billy rubin on January 09, 2021, 05:24:50 PM
its a private company and nit charged with public trust.

if someone told me i had to allow trump to say anything he wanted in internet forum no matter what id be resiatant.

freedom of speech in america is an issue only with government institutions. trump is free to start up a sicial media pkatform of his own at any time

i would rather see 100 percent identical treatment of everybody on a private social platform. trump should have been banned years ago when he violated their terms of service
Agree, without prejudice.

but im going to point out tho that the biggies-- facebook, twitter, and instagram-- only got religion after trump was on his way out. sure, he'll be a noisy force for some time to come, but he isn't saying anything different now from what he said before. how much of their ethics got easier when they decided he wasn't as profitable?
Money making is at the root of of the process. Internet companies are a business. IE- Fox News---plays both sides of politics because they make money from both sides because both sides are newsworthy. I watch news sites to keep an understanding of how what is going on will affect me.
  Yesterday I got tired of Tucker Carson telling me for the last several days how we lost our freedom of speech. I rute out a long post informing him we did not.  The platforms are private property ( as you know) so they have the right to allow or disallow anything on their site as they choose. I blabbed on for 2 long paragraphs . As I was about to punch the comment button a grandson came in to inform me that the internet was being censored and we were loosing freedom of speech.
  I-- no we aren't, pointing at the post on the comp.  ----read that. After of which he left with an different understanding of the situation. This evening I unintentionally brought up the same video as yesterday. I thought I would check the post to find out how far down the list it was. I couldn't find it. So much for freedom of speech, right.
  The constitution is another document we extensively studied. The thing is worthless except when things go wrong, then it becomes worth something---but usually to late. Most just want it for themself but not the other guy.
The only thing possible the world needs saving from are the ones running it.
Oh lord, save us from those wanting to save us.
I'm not a Theist.