MEMORIAL DAY IS ABOUT REMEMBERING, AND HONORING, SACRIFICES; FACEBOOK COULD DESTROY THAT SOON
Hyperbole is an awkward word. But it’s been thrown around a lot in recent years. Mostly, that’s because some people say crazy things over and over again until they seem reasonable, even real. It’s not hyperbole for me to say that. But it’s also not hyperbole to say that Facebook is now a clear and present danger to democracy in general, and American Democracy specifically. It’s time (past time, really) to break up Facebook. Today being Memorial Day simply makes it all the more poignant. If you haven’t already wondered about this, it’s time to start. I’ve been fairly convinced since the last Presidential Election. But Anderson Cooper’s interview (embedded below) with Facebook’s Head of Global Policy Management, Monika Bickert, leaves me remarkably disturbed. Bickert’s explanations as to why Facebook is not removing the doctored video of Nancy Pelosi are pretty staggering.
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FACEBOOK WANTS TO ALLOW USERS THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS REAL
But why? Essentially, Facebook’s position is that they want to be sure to give Facebook members the freedom to choose what is real. No, really. That’s pretty much it. And that is terrifying. Facebook’s official position is that propaganda is fine, so long as it doesn’t obviously incite some form of immediate violence. But slippery slander? No problem. Character assassination is fine. But when Cooper asked Bickert if a similar video of Trump was present, Bickert simply could NOT say yes or no if they would remove it or leave it up. Cooper pointed out that Facebook is now in the news business. Facebook makes money disseminating news. Bickert tried, if briefly, to argue that point.
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BUT FACEBOOK SELLS NEWS, NOW THEY CLEARLY SELL A PLATFORM TO SELECTIVELY SMEAR PUBLIC FIGURES
But Cooper is correct. Luddites know this. Facebook sells news. But now, they are selling optional reality on political figures. And it’s clear that slandering Pelosi is fine, while slandering Trump is not. So beyond privacy, and hacking, and a total lack of transparency, it’s time to break up Facebook. But it’s clear that this process won’t begin in the United States. We will have to wait to see what happens in Europe first. And Europe still seems to be slightly more reality based, compared to us (US). So before Facebook can destroy what we choose to think is real about our past, let’s be sure to remember Memorial Day while we still can. For years to come. This is all too real…. Break up Facebook, now. Like, now.
