Chamath Palihapitiya, former Facebook vice president for user growth, isn't the only one who believes his former employer is ripping apart the fabric of society.
Palihapitiya triggered an unexpectedly intense backlash after revealing that he feels "tremendous guilt" for his role in building the social media giant, warning that, if you feed the beast, that beast will destroy you..."
"I feel tremendous guilt."
"I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works. That is truly where we are."
"I would encourage all of you, as the future leaders of the world, to really internalize how important this is. If you feed the beast, that beast will destroy you. If you push back on it you have a chance to control it and reign it in."
"There is a point in time when people need a hard break from some of these tools."
"The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops we've created are destroying how society works. No civil discourse, no cooperation; misinformation, mistruth. And it's not an American problem — this is not about Russians ads. This is a global problem."
"So, we're in a really bad state of affairs right now, in my opinion. It is eroding the core foundations of how people behave by and between each other."
"And, I don't have a good solution. You know, my solution is I just don't use these tools anymore. I ahven't for years. It's created huge tension with my friends. Huge tensions in my social circles."
...He later walked his comments back after twitter users suggested that he maybe donate some of the money he made off the enterprise to a worthy cause.
And now, shortly after it published reports about a survey showing 10% of US Facebook users deleted their accounts in the wake of the company's latest data-privacy scandal, Recode is back with another scathing story about Facebook's public identity crisis.
Tavis McGinn, Mark Zuckerberg's former personal pollster, conducted a survey that exposes just how reviled Facebook is in many parts of the world. Indeed, up to 33% of responds in Australia, Canada and the UK say Facebook is having a "negative impact on society."
Americans have a similarly negative perception of FB, with just 32% (about 54 million people) of the population also believing that Facebook has a negative impact. For context, that makes Facebook more popular than Marlboro cigarettes, but worse than McDonald's.
In fact, the only countries where distrust in Facebook was relatively low were countries like Japan, where few people use Facebook.
McGinn, who recently opened his own polling firm after leaving Facebook after six months, said he didn't ask what, specifically, these negative impacts might be - but he says he has an idea.
"In the U.S. obviously we’re very focused on election interference, and in the U.K. they’ve been focused on that as well with Brexit," McGinn told Recode. "But there are also things like, ‘how does it affect children, how does the platform create addiction, how does the platform encourage extremism, how does the platform push American values onto other countries?’"
There’s also the issue of Facebook’s data policies, which McGinn, who spent three years at Google, says are a result of Facebook’s DNA.
"The culture has always been focused on driving usage, on getting more people to use and how to get them to spend longer on the platform," he said. "It influences every decision, large and small."
And here's the kicker: McGinn conducted his poll in January and February. Which means that, judging by the decline in user engagement - which had already been on the decline before the Cambridge Analytica scandal - negative perceptions of the company have probably worsened.
Comments
That's it?
We are surrounded by morons.
So what's up with the other two turds? Merrily merrily merrily merrily life is but dream.
In reply to That's it? We are… by homiegot
I've never posted a thing to Facebook and spend less than a few minutes a year on it. My wife spends 3-4 hours a day on Facebook.
In reply to So what's up with the other… by radio man
Zuck considers Facebook's users idiots to be milked.
Anyone with such an attitude has no concept of
The LAW That CHANGED The World.
In reply to I've never posted a thing to… by Stuck on Zero
Stick something more interesting in her Face...
In reply to I've never posted a thing to… by Stuck on Zero
“But we must keep steadily in mind that no people were ever yet benefited by riches if their prosperity corrupted their virtue.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/44567.Theodore_Roosevelt?page=11
In reply to My wife spends 3-4 hours a… by HowardBeale
in other words, two thirds continue to believe facebook is just awesome - the fact that it is now a certified evil entity notwithstanding. Definitely confirms my (almost unshakable) believe in the wisdom of the masses.
In reply to “But we must keep steadily… by Déjà view
2/3+ either believe it's awesome, or careless;
yet wisdom of the masses are what the evil master counting on, US-evil idiots!
In reply to in other words, two thirds… by giovanni_f
WTF are you guys complaining about? I've never felt more mainstream in my life! It's almost troubling. I shall take great reassurance in the fact that 66% of the population still hates me and wants me dead.
In reply to 2/3+ either believe it's… by old naughty
I notice that FB has got rid of that half a screen exclusion thing that used to appear if you aren't a fb user.
Nice to see a little less arrogance... I'm sure it will be back as soon as they dare again.
In reply to I've never posted a thing to… by Stuck on Zero
[quote]...He later walked his comments back after twitter users suggested that he maybe donate some of the money he made off the enterprise to a worthy cause.[/quote]
Hah! yes, munny talks and he didn't want his to say "goodbye!"
In reply to So what's up with the other… by radio man
Walked back before he was even done speaking. The great grief and pain he felt was almost instantly disposed of for his love of money. It was the most pathetic attempt at altruism I have ever beheld.
Sorry brothers but all the money in the world can't cover for inner poverty such as that.
"If I can speak the languages of men and angels but have not love, then I am nothing."
-Proverbs (I think)
In reply to [quote]...He later walked… by StychoKiller
As some of you know I am in the process of downsizing and cutting the cord. I want to do more reading, on my Kindle (I know, the evil Bezos is the owner but as a device, it works). Checking out books and sending them to my Kindle was a pain in the butt but there is an app, Libby (don't laugh, it's short for Library). Anyhow, it works. You put in your library card number and if you have it set up with your loca library website and kindle this is basically a one-click option.
I am cutting my expenses so I can save more so reading free books is a way to meet that financial objective. If anyone has experience with other library apps, please comment. I am trying to cut my TV addiction. It isn't easy.
In reply to That's it? We are… by homiegot
Get a hobby or two (maybe even three!)
In reply to As some of you know I am in… by HRH of Aquitaine 2.0
I have a few. I draw, do watercolors, I grew up sewing and crocheting and know how to tat. TV is insidious. It is too easy to turn it on. I had no idea and now, I haven't turned it off and I am already going through withdrawals and depressed. There are many things you can get addicted to and I am not happy about admitting to being a TV addict. As far as I know, there are no TV anonymous groups. I wish there were, I would go to one.
In reply to Get a hobby or two (maybe… by StychoKiller
It's a great trick. Actually it's a whole pile of tricks that you assemble into a lifestyle.
I learned it from the hippies. I learned a lot of valuable life skills from hippies and the whole "voluntary simplicity" thing is just plain LIBERATING. A lot of people confuse voluntary simplicity with self-reliance. They are two different things. The simplicitarian realizes that the only rational basis for having a lawn is if you are raising sheep. However, owning sheep is not simple. Animal husbandry requires huge effort and animals keep you chained down to one spot. Basically what you are doing is taking back your TIME. You almost invariably come up with a surplus. And that's where the magic often comes in. You end up meeting new people and doing things you never imagined before. We can go anywhere, we can do anything we want. We got the time!
This was in fact the origin of many things like passive solar and hydroponic gardening and wind and micro-hydroelectric generation and all kinds of sneaky hippy tricks we almost take for granted today. Not to mention the entire organic agriculture industry. And now, the entire legal weed industry.
It's not a great way to go if you are basically lazy. It actually works best if you are a bit manic or obsessive. That's the fire that keeps us creating. And there's "the flow". We learn how to measure time differently, usually seasonally. We learn to see the flow as a model of abundance not of scarcity. We learn to see kindness as one of the building blocks of objective reality. Because that's what we create. An objective alternative.
And for the record, Al Gore can go invent choking on a chicken bone for all we care.
In reply to I have a few. I draw, do… by HRH of Aquitaine 2.0
When facebook first came out I put up a page... two days later I thought... these cunts could use any and all info so I pulled it down... the rest is fistery....
In reply to That's it? We are… by homiegot
Yay! I'm in the top third of something.
It appears 66.6% of the population has been digitally lobotomized by the matrix of microwave radiation. Hey Tylers, let's see a chart of the percentage of GDP that Vaporizes every year on social media.
In reply to Yay! I'm in the top third… by Supafly
Note that you are also in the top third of replies on this page (if you increase the number of comments shown, you're even higher!)
In reply to Yay! I'm in the top third… by Supafly
Seriously guys I feel like it's our birthday or something. This might be the closest many of us will ever get to feeling normal.
So. Now that we're all mainstream and "empowered by mass opinion", how shall we leverage our newfound social power?
I say we militarize and mobilize the public and do a regular right down JIHAD on the remaining facebookers. Yup, I say we burn their houses down and round them up and put them in camps. No real agenda, just for the fun of it. Just for the thrill of being that guy this time.
This does, incidentally, condemn half of my biological family but they are the LIBERAL side of the family and if we decide it was a mistake? I'm pretty sure they will still be making liberals in Europe. Heck we could just borrow some liberals from Canada, the Canadian patriots might even pay us to take them!
We're basically talking about a consequence-free environment here people! We have actual social clout this time and I say we use it.
In reply to Note that you are also in… by zvzzt
What a coincidence...
that's approximately the same percentage of Americans who have a clue about the greater dynamics in play.
You would think that at a minimum people's ability to spell properly would have improved since the introduction of Facebook, but I think it has gotten worse.
This American knows it is dangerous to one's health and society.
Citizens need to destroy digital advertising surveillance spying model of goobook by rendering digtal advertising worthless.
What is digtal advertising worth if ads can't be served viewed and tracked?
Whoever controls the browser controls digtal advertising model.
Please download brave browser or equivalent mobile adblocker immediately.
Brave blocks advertising malware and tracking by DEFAULT on any device and operating system rendering digital advertising model useless.
Brave is simple enough for Grandma to use and user setting protects data by DEFAULT.
Cheers,
Pigpen
One time I broke my rule but in general, if I see a targeted ad, I explicitly don’t buy that product.
Spread the word. Maybe if more people do that, it’ll help.
In reply to This American knows it is… by pigpen
I live by the same policy: If they force an add on me, I WILL NOT buy that product or anything the company makes.
In reply to One time I broke my rule but… by A Sentinel
Those companies are just tryin' to make a buck. Try this instead: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm It works well with Linux as well.
In reply to I live by the same policy:… by HowardBeale
It's an interesting time. Google has done another "dance" and the political undertones are impossible to miss. This whole "fake news" handling issue has proven to be a bomb in their lap. And it's triggered by a lead-acid battery. Which is leaking. You can't keep it on your lap, it will burn your dick off. But you can't throw it away, it's a bomb!
It seems like Google is no longer objectively the best search engine. Oops, that's their core product.
Where did we last see that? Oh yeah, it was on that show Silicon Valley. Google just did a Hooli! Or any number of cliches. Killing the goose that laid the golden egg or just plain screwing the pooch.
The hegemony has been broken. It actually audibly went "snap". But what happens if your installed base is literally in the world's pockets?
You attempt to force compliance.
In reply to This American knows it is… by pigpen
Its all psychology that little screen give you a dopamine hit every time it lights up,its an addiction and yes Facebook knows this and uses it to its maximum advantage this is according to Chamath Palihapitaya a Facebook founder that now regrets what he did.Well at least he had his come to Jesus moment most dont.
I blame lack of adequate Pinball facilities! :>D
In reply to Its all psychology that… by khnum
You guys each owe me one dopamine cause I plussed you.
You're welcome.
In reply to I blame lack of adequate… by StychoKiller
Facebook is pure evil & Fuckberg is the most vile part of this foul operation. How many kid's lives have been ruined by this "app"?
"How many kids lives have been runied..."
As a teacher for the past 1/4 century, I can say pretty much every kid who has attended high school since Facebook was thrust upon them.
Progress in the classroom is a fraction of that before Facebook. We are going to see a massive increase in the suicide rate as the Facebook generation suffers the consequence of having had no attention span to learn how to learn...
In reply to Facebook is pure evil &… by Dan'l
Question. Are you now conservative?
In reply to "How many kids lives have… by HowardBeale
Further questions. Do you realize that admitting you are a school teacher here is akin to waltzing onto the UCLA Berkeley campus and shouting I LOVE TITS? With a MAGA hat on?
You are either very brave, very foolish or some curious combination of same.
In reply to Question. Are you now… by HRH of Aquitaine 2.0
I wonder if any honest folks would be interested in filling that void? No doubt the likes of Soros are working on keeping FB relevant . Youtube also.
And 2/3rd's have their heads up their asses.
And in other news, 2/3 of Americans are delusional.
the bottom half of the class is a little slow.
Oops. Anyone vote twice on that survey? Everybody loves Raymond and Facebook, no? Actually, anyone on Facebook has a death wish for every single byte of their privacy.
2/3rd's of the fucking retards who like Facebook also probably voted for Kanckles. A thermite grenade or two on Shitbook's servers would fix all that mess.
I figure it would take a team of 10, maybe 12, to cut off the water supply to that big NSA storage facility in Bluffdale, Utah. Once servers get hot, they go poof. This site uses several million gallons of water, per day, to stay cool. No water? No cooling, poof, crash.
(The preceding is a thought experiment. I in no way support such acts).
In reply to A thermite grenade or two on… by I am Groot
What's the address?
In reply to I figure it would take a… by HRH of Aquitaine 2.0
I am not sure other than Bluffdale, Utah. But they have a wiki page, here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_Data_Center
Maybe they thought they could hide in plain sight?
In reply to What's the address? by HowardBeale
Vladimir knows.
In reply to I am not sure other than… by HRH of Aquitaine 2.0
Untrue... almost everybody I know has a FB account and I live in conservative flyover country. I'm a political atheist and I have one because it's a huge promo shortcut, so I see what people post. Not only do the conservatives all have accounts, they're the ones most likely to spam FB with a bunch of pointless political bullshit.
In reply to A thermite grenade or two on… by I am Groot
What if I said that I can objectively prove to you that politics exist?
In reply to Untrue... almost everybody I… by crossroaddemon
Only a third? Where are the other digital slaves on the invasion, whoring, parsing, creating psy profiles of users' data? It should be at least two-thirds. Zuckerturd is hated by many--Tim Cook included.
Facebook isn’t evil. People are assholes. It’s just a reflection of how people communicate. They’re talking to be heard. They do it meetings and social settings as well. Like a Venn Diagram where you don’t give a shit if the circles ever touch. That’s what social media is.
You’re falling into a logical fallacy: yes, people are evil idiots. That’s part of the essential though of western civilization - but that doesn’t make Facebook any less evil.
In reply to Facebook isn’t evil. People… by Catullus
Pagination