Because combined with the abysmal state of education in most places, and a general lack of government action, Facebook is an actual threat to our civilization.
People unfortunately love the upsides of misinformation, or perhaps it's the format that makes it easy to build community around shared (misinformed) values, to rally in battles that rage for hours or days for a cause you deeply believe in and can follow by digesting 30-second soundbites on social midea and 30-minute videos on YouTube.
People will do this wherever they can talk in a group online, not just Facebook properties. It's... pretty bad actually, I think the only tool that exists right now is censorship, because the bullshit gets created, spread, and wholeheartedly received way faster than debunking will.
And censorship is a power that can't be safely entrusted to nobody.
I don't necessarily disagree, but often I hear FB or other tech companies like Twitter singled out re: misinformation. News media contributes to misinformation and contributes to a warped, partisan, permanently-in-catastrophe-mode population just as much as FB, Twitter, and other mediums.
I doubt, if FB goes away, that any of the issues you're implying will go away or even get much better. In fact, the lack of a real look into the negative effects of consumer news product reinforces this idea that only the elite can know the truth, and the masses just have to get in line and shut up.
News media proliferated nonsense from fed sources to justify the Iraq war, they gave Trump 24/7 airtime for a while because it increased ratings. They constantly forgo any real accountability for their actions, and pretend that they aren't just another addictive consumer product that warps peoples' brains.
dessant|4 years ago
forgetfulness|4 years ago
People will do this wherever they can talk in a group online, not just Facebook properties. It's... pretty bad actually, I think the only tool that exists right now is censorship, because the bullshit gets created, spread, and wholeheartedly received way faster than debunking will.
And censorship is a power that can't be safely entrusted to nobody.
SirensOfTitan|4 years ago
I doubt, if FB goes away, that any of the issues you're implying will go away or even get much better. In fact, the lack of a real look into the negative effects of consumer news product reinforces this idea that only the elite can know the truth, and the masses just have to get in line and shut up.
News media proliferated nonsense from fed sources to justify the Iraq war, they gave Trump 24/7 airtime for a while because it increased ratings. They constantly forgo any real accountability for their actions, and pretend that they aren't just another addictive consumer product that warps peoples' brains.
hkai|4 years ago
The reasons I've seen are:
> it creates a risk of bad self-image for young girls
It's a parent's job to educate your children. There are much worse things than Facebook out there.
> it collects data
Literally no harm in knowing that someone is interested in JavaScript, cats and fetish porn, and targeting ads to that user.
> it's addictive
So is sex, marijuana, and collecting stamps.
> it helps organize protests
Good.
kbelder|4 years ago
elevenoh|4 years ago
drdeadringer|4 years ago
Direct quote: "That website on Facebook."
There are people who believe that "Facebook" literally equals "Internet". Facebook, Internet ... Internet, Facebook.
Rinse and repeat for your alternative echo chamber regarding Google, the Microsoft Bing, &c.
vadfa|4 years ago