this post was submitted on 08 Apr 2024

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On a huge election year for the world, Meta will shut down CrowdTangle, it's tool for election integrity observers without replacement (foundation.mozilla.org)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

108 comments fedilink hide all child comments

This is quite concerning

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[–] [email protected] 135 points 7 months ago (24 children)

This a huge step back for transparency with Meta (shocker). Access to this data is important for a variety of reasons, and using the recent EU laws as an excuse is deplorable (again, shocker from Meta).

It's clear the data companies were left alone for too long to rule the schoolyard. It's going to take some time to treat them and others what decorum looks like without throwing an absolute hissy fit.

Here's hoping the EU, which seems to be the only teacher on the playground willing to discipline anyone, will set them straight.

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[–] [email protected] 77 points 7 months ago (10 children)

We should teach critical thinking and logic skill from month one. There will be so much propaganda and misinformation from this point on, being able to spot it, most of the time with common sense, would nip most of this crap in the butt.

[–] [email protected] 46 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (3 children)

In before 5 yo

Mommy, "because I say so" is an appeal to authority, I will not abide by such logical fallacy. Please provide me with a systematic review of relevant double blind studies to convince me that I should eat my greens."

[–] [email protected] 20 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I try to use "because I said so" as little as possible. It's a lot more work, but they know why they're doing most of what they need to do, and they know why they're avoiding what they should not do.

Edit: I've noticed that making an effort to avoid "because I said so" has built up a habit of thinking about why I'm telling them to do something before I say it out loud. Often times, this changes what I'm about to tell them to do.

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 7 months ago

Come on, you know those who have the influence over this don't want it. Remember: Donald Trump loves the uneducated 👍

[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I think the issue is more that people like propaganda and misinformation as long as they agree with it.

There just seems to be something about seeing your own opinions coming out of a man in a tie or printed in a large serif font that gives people the same feeling as a cat having its neck scratched.

And of course, once you hear one of your opinions come out of them, it's easier to agree with the other ones as well.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

And still it would not be enough. You need to trust some core institutions and delegate on some people who know more than you, you can't be an expert on everything. Even smart people can be deeply wrong if they trust the wrong people or if they think their expertise makes them an expert on everything. You also need a little intellectual humility.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

This is why the position I take is that when there is any room for doubt, lean into whichever belief would lead to the most compassionate outcome.

There will always be uncertainty, always facts that you can't know, but the compassionate choice is pretty much never wrong, at worst it might be inefficient, but that's okay. Anyone who's trying to convince you that something that harms or dehumanizes anyone is necessary probably has an ulterior motive and is profiting somehow off of the harm and dehumanization.

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 7 months ago (2 children)

We should outlaw political advertisement on social media? Kind of like how cigarette advertisement was eliminated from movie theater ads.

The fines should be stacked as factors - unmitigated offenses will build up and incur exponentially growing fines. Very large incentive to shut that shit down.

Politics should be advertised by performance review, not marketing.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

No politics was a rule on many forums. One of the things social media did away with.

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[–] [email protected] 57 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Sounds like Zuck is hoping for a one-party Fascist autocracy in the US.

[–] [email protected] 48 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It would benefit a social cause that is near and dear to his heart: making Mark Zuckerberg extremely wealthy

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

I think he thinks he is building The Matrix, and will get godmode.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago

"We will give you tax breaks, you'll help us build out theocratic fascism!"

(If anyone asks: Facebook already got caught spying on abortion providers in red states, expect even worse once Project 2025 is enacted.)

[–] [email protected] 49 points 7 months ago (5 children)

yet another year goes by where tech companies seem to be influencing the state.

What a fascinating time to live in.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Fascist-inating indeed.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

Fascist-enabling eh?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Of course they are. There’s money involved.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (3 children)

weird how money seems to play a role in something thats supposed to be controlled by the people

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

To be fair, corporations have always influenced the government. For better, or for worse.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

still trying to figure out why. Seems like the counter intuitive thing to happen. But what do i fucking, i'm just a citizen of the US, the US government is responsible to me, it's not like i have a say in this or anything.

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[–] [email protected] 39 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (7 children)

My hope is that the FBI asked them to shut this down on NSA's behalf, so threat actors feel more comfortable as they aren't being watched, studied, and analyzed by every OSINT collective in existence.

My fear is that they know what happened the previous 2 elections and this year will be the worst yet, and they don't want their users knowing how badly they got duped and feeling bad/dumb enough to leave the platform. Also advertising $$.

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[–] [email protected] 35 points 7 months ago (7 children)

I kind of can’t stand Biden, in spite of the many surprisingly good things he’s done in the last few years.

But god damn if this isn’t the kind of action from Meta that can only help Trump.

I am sorry to feel that this decision from Meta has much more to do with certain ongoing wars and preferred candidates than any “EU legislation.”

Meta wants Trump. Meta wants fascism.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Meta

integrity

lmao

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago (3 children)

I work in integrity at Meta. It's mostly about staying legally compliant with the countries we make $ in. You have to keep in mind we have like 4 billion users, and own 5 out of the top 10 most used apps (hello antitrust?), so it's a pretty big deal here.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You actually work at Meta no cap?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

no cap fr fr 🥦

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago

its* tool for election integrity.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago

I like it how people use meta and then also hate and complain about it. Let's gooooo!

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago

he knows where his bread is buttered

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I wonder if Zuckerberg knows that his bunker won't save him?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago

A practical demonstration may be necessary

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