Ignorance Is Bliss : Social Media

 

Social Media's Role In The Madness



People are blind to what they read. Many will believe any sensationalist click-bait that they encounter on Facebook. The social media giant operates on ad revenue. To maximize profit, Facebook’s algorithms are going to provide content that is going to generate attention. Controversy sells. If you’re a Anti-Vaxxer, you're going to get content that conforms to your views. If you're a conspiracy theorist, then you're going to get content that promotes your views. If you believe that the government is out to get you, well guess what, Facebook is going to provide that content. People on Facebook don't want facts; they want hyper-partisan and emotionally charged click-bait to weaponize their opinions and have their perceived worldview validated.
One of the reasons why the conspiracy theories involving Antifa were quickly debunked was because for those apprehended, their social media post incriminated them. Countless post of Pro-Trump content have been openly shared for months and years on-end. Many of these post paraded the false claims of voter fraud. Many of these users were even streaming their actions on social media while taking part in their reckless endeavor. Riot selfies became the norm (I bet law-enforcement won't check those out). These post would come back to bite the rioters in their rear. Despite it being the unlawful activity that got the rioters into trouble (and not their views), many have become scared of Facebook regardless. 

It ironic when many people constantly talk about government surveillance, but yet, many of these same individuals are quick to share everything about themselves on Facebook for all to see. That is not the fault of Facebook, but the end-user using the rancid platform as a toy.

Facebook are not the good guys. Since it's inception, its been about chasing green all the way. With hundreds of millions using their platform, their was a massive responsibility when it came to moderating whatever content came their way. This moderation was non-existent as nobody wanted to stop the gravy train until it horrible derailed. Politicians on both sides constantly lied without accountability. Facebook was used to facilitate the genocide in Myanmar. Facebook became a toxic place polluted by a cesspool of conspiracy theorist and Anti-Vaxxers promoting their harmful claims that are either getting people killed, inciting unjustified violence, or causes sharp discontent.

Facebook is just as much responsible for the events in DC as the rioters are.  They didn't enforce their own terms of service until it was too late. They failed to realize that they're real-world consequences when sharing baseless conspiracy theories. Greed got in the way as Karma came back to Menlo Park with a vengeance. Facebook is reaping what they sowed.   

However, because Facebook is now enforcing their terms of service, they ruffled the feathers of many. Several have been so conditioned into sharing outlandish click-bait on impulse that they became oblivious to their actions. Those who took their detrimental actions for granted have taken offensive to the company's change in enforcement.

Moot Arguments
Many have claimed censorship and Constitutional violations due to Facebook's action. The application of the 1st Amendment doesn't apply as while it protects you from the government's intervention on speech, Facebook is a corporation, not a government agency. Corporations are considered people under the 14th Amendment. As such, Facebook is actually exercising their First Amendment right by dealing with the conspiracy theorist. Don't like Facebook, don't use the platform; plain and simple.

Also, while the First Amendment protects you from government intervention, you're not protected from the court of public opinion. The perceived view of Conservative censorship is a result of many Republican politicians reaching out to conspiracy theorist, white-superracist, and other extremist fringe groups. It was easy for the social media companies to remove Radical Islamic content because such ideas are not mainstream in American political thought. However, when Google or Facebook tried to crack down on white supremacist groups, people screamed censorship at the top of their lungs because many Republican's drew support from such groups.  

The word "moderation" is profanity in the ears of many. Several wanted that unrestricted freedom to post whatever they wanted to their hearts content on impulse without accepting any responsibility or consequences that comes from their actions. People want to use social media on their own terms without consequence. Privacy doesn't exist if you operate in the realm of social media. This is something that those who embrace it have to live it. You either have to forgo one or the other. 

Parler
Parler have been massively hit as well. The credibility of this platform has been questionable from the start. It's an alternate social media platform that's been championed by self-proclaimed free-speech warriors. However, Parler have constantly censured left-leaning users and journalist, leading to accusations that the platform is a front for the far-right.  The contradictions are even more evident as the company that claims to uphold free speech have policies that are much more restrictive than Facebook. Wouldn't this be hypocritical for a platform that claims to champion free speech while constantly censuring others at the same time. How is that free speech? Bias is bias, regardless of the slant.

Parler became a hotbed consumed by conspiracy theorist who were joined by the ranks of Anti-Semantic users who were kicked off of Facebook for obvious reasons. Like Facebook, the word "moderate" became a dirty profanity in the ears of Parler users. Parler refused to moderate their platform as it was being hijacked by conspiracy theorist and extremist. Many of these users would use Parler to coordinate the Capital riot.

Not surprisingly, Parler was removed from both the Apple and Google Play Stores, leading to even more baseless claims of censorship. It has to be reminded that the censorship of Parlor wasn't a result of it catering to a Conservative audience. It's censorship was brought on by conspiracy theorist and extremist using the platform to coordinate the riot. How did people think that Parler's fate was going to play out when used in this manner? Many claimed censorship even though Republicans who aren't promoting outlandish and harmful claims are free to operate on any platform of their choosing.  Morale of the story: if you're a politician (regardless of affiliation) who want to be on various platforms, don't reach out to extremists or eccentric crackpots. I don't see how hard of a lesson this is to learn.

Their has been a huge uptake in other platforms. Signal and MeWee have seen an explosive surge in new users. Granted, the vast majority are flocking to these platforms due to WhatApp's policy change in regard to privacy. Online security and privacy are very important topics. However, I can also make the safe assumption that  many aren't flocking to these platforms because they want to be more secured, but to promote the latest conspiracy theories without consequence. This is shallow considering that Facebook have been data mining people for years, but yet, that wasn't what motivated people to leave.

Granted, I'm on Facebook as well. However, I post on Facebook and this blog knowing full well that whatever I upload is going to be in the public domain and data-mined. I can't claim ignorance on my part. However, it's shocking how many were oblivious to this. Did these users thought that they could have the best of both worlds without sacrifice: privacy and the ability to post publicly without consequence?

I feel sorry for these alternate platforms. Their about to be flooded by eccentric crackpots. 

Conclusion
Social media is what we make of it. In computer science, their is a term called GIGO. It's a acronym for "Garbage In - Garbage Out". We are responsible for what we post on social media. When we share garbage on Facebook, where going to get garbage back. Conspiracy theorist and Ant-Vaxxers have been polluting the platform for years. Their damaging rhetoric have real-world consequences as thousands of people have either been killed or harmed by their claims. Those who publicly entertained conspiracy theories have made that bed of nails that they will have to lie in eventually.
Articles of Interest

Where Countries Are Tinderboxes and Facebook Is a Match (NYTimes) : https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/world/asia/facebook-sri-lanka-riots.html

As Facebook Addresses Role in Myanmar Violence, Look Back at Early Warnings (FRONTLINE - PBS) : https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/as-facebook-addresses-role-in-myanmar-violence-look-back-...

Burned to death because of a rumour on WhatsApp (BBC) : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46145986

Nationalism a driving force behind fake news in India, research shows (BBC) : https://www.bbc.com/news/world-46146877

THE FACEBOOK DILEMMA (FRONTLINE) : https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/facebook-dilemma/

Criticism of Facebook (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Facebook

Rohingya genocide : Facebook's role in the genocide (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohingya_genocide#Facebook's_role_in_the_genocide

Inside Facebook’s ‘cult-like’ workplace, where dissent is discouraged and employees pretend to be happy all the time (CNBC) : https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/08/facebook-culture-cult-performance-review-process-blamed.html

How Facebook Exposes Domestic Violence Survivors (The Daily Beast) : https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-facebook-exposes-domestic-violence-survivors

Parler (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parler

WhatsApp gives users an ultimatum: Share data with Facebook or stop using the app (Ars Technica):  https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/01/whatsapp-users-must-share-their-data-with-facebook-or-st...

WhatsApp update to expand data sharing sparks criticism (DW) : https://www.dw.com/en/whatsapp-update-to-expand-data-sharing-sparks-criticism/a-56164619

Apple's privacy labels reveals Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger's hunger for user data (TechRadar) : https://www.techradar.com/news/apples-privacy-labels-reveals-whatsapp-and-facebook-messengers-hunger...

Signal (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_(software)

MeWee (Wikipedia) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MeWe

We’re Just Finding Out How Bad the Riot Really Was (The Atlantic) : https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/01/it-was-much-worse-it-looked/617693/

A protected right? Free speech and social media : CBS Sunday Morning (YouTube) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBI1YOnK09s

When US Politicians Spread Lies on Social Media, Who Is Responsible? (Snopes) : https://www.snopes.com/news/2020/11/13/transition-chaos/

What is QAnon, the baseless conspiracy spilling into US politics? (PolitiFact) : https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/aug/27/what-qanon-baseless-conspiracy-spilling-us-politic/

He Spent Their Blood Like Currency’: Trump Promotes Falconer’s Bizarre Anti-Biden Conspiracy Theory (Snopes): https://www.snopes.com/news/2020/10/16/biden-trump-seal-team-six/

US election 2020: 'QAnon might affect how my friends vote' (BBC) : https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-54440973

Social Media Platforms : Parler (RationalWiki) : https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Social_media_platforms#Parler

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