Big tech is the biggest threat to free speech at this moment in time, and there is no fiercer advocate for the first amendment than Breitbart News”, said Alex Marlow, Editor-in-Chief of Breitbart. “Never has so much power been concentrated in the hands of so few people, and Silicon Valley elite have, thus far, been able to operate with virtually zero transparency. The Masters of the Universe are unfathomably influential, secretive, and they are surveilling all of us right now, stockpiling our data for their own purposes. It’s time we broaden the discussion.”
Do you think tech companies now can pose a threat to the freedom of speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
Originally posted by @philokalia A very interesting excerpt:
[quote] Big tech is the biggest threat to free speech at this moment in time, and there is no fiercer advocate for the first amendment than Breitbart News”, said Alex Marlow, Editor-in-Chief of Breitbart. “Never has so much power been concentrated in the hands of so few people, and Silicon Valley elite have, thus far, been ...[text shortened]... speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
Why are they conflating free speech and privacy? While both are arguably fundamental rights, they have little to do with each other.
I don't see at all how they're a threat to free speech.
As for privacy, my philosophy is: if you don't want people to know something, don't post it on social media.
Originally posted by @sh76 Why are they conflating free speech and privacy? While both are arguably fundamental rights, they have little to do with each other.
I don't see at all how they're a threat to free speech.
As for privacy, my philosophy is: if you don't want people to know something, don't post it on social media.
They aren't conflated.
They're both affected but in different ways through big tech.
I may have said something like that. I would find it odd for someone looking for a job in today’s day and age to have no social media presence. Someone applying for a job should at least have a well put together LinkedIn profile.
I would also expect people to know that whatever they post to social media is public record and to therefore avoid posting things that they would not want future employers, colleagues and clients to see.
Originally posted by @philokalia Do you think tech companies now can pose a threat to the freedom of speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
I think both are real threats and perhaps deserve separate threads.
Privacy infringement is obviously in the news right now.
A bigger threat is that to freedom of speech.
Facebook are being condemned at the moment but what if they start censoring?
What if all social media sites start using the same filters?
How will new ideas, new ideologies be disseminated?
World politics could lurch to the left or right and stagnate without any platform to present contrary views.
Originally posted by @sh76 Why are they conflating free speech and privacy? While both are arguably fundamental rights, they have little to do with each other.
I don't see at all how they're a threat to free speech.
As for privacy, my philosophy is: if you don't want people to know something, don't post it on social media.
How about if someone else - often in all innocence - posts something on social media that just happens to include you?
How about social media using sub-visible tracking code to get data on you that you didn't intend to make public?
How about social media lying to their users anf non-users both?
How about Breidbart being a major beneficiary of all these channels for fake news and vile spin, and more than a little hypocritical?
Originally posted by @shallow-blue How about if someone else - often in all innocence - posts something on social media that just happens to include you?
How about social media using sub-visible tracking code to get data on you that you didn't intend to make public?
How about social media lying to their users anf non-users both?
How about Breidbart being a major beneficiary of all these channels for fake news and vile spin, and more than a little hypocritical?
The first points are all good.
And maybe even the last point is true: maybe Breitbart does benefit from channels that you would say have "vile spin." But it can also be said of Buzzfeed, AJ+, etc., that are leftist equivalents of news cut & tailored to the desires of what amounts to a pretty far left.
CNN & MSNBC arguably cater to a more moderate left.
I think you should be more slow to lodge that sort of specific accusation because it is basically... toxic to the forum in the sense that it just baits out bad responses much fo the time.
Originally posted by @philokalia A very interesting excerpt:
[quote] Big tech is the biggest threat to free speech at this moment in time, and there is no fiercer advocate for the first amendment than Breitbart News”, said Alex Marlow, Editor-in-Chief of Breitbart. “Never has so much power been concentrated in the hands of so few people, and Silicon Valley elite have, thus far, been ...[text shortened]... speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
Do you think tech companies now can pose a threat to the freedom of speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
It's an exaggeration. Technology is a tool, not an end in itself and not some man made monster as some claim. As with any tool, it can be useful if used correctly or destructive if used incorrectly.
Originally posted by @mchill Do you think tech companies now can pose a threat to the freedom of speech and privacy that many people enjoy and have come to expect, or is this an exaggeration?
It's an exaggeration. Technology is a tool, not an end in itself and not some man made monster as some claim. As with any tool, it can be useful if used correctly or destructive if used incorrectly.
Not at all. A computer program is not a firearm. Computer programs don't blast lead projectiles into peoples bodies, or slaughter school children by the dozens in seconds. Your little ploy is amusing on a minor league level, but it makes no sense. Now go and clean your little pop gun, if your lucky you won't shoot yourself in the knee with it. 😞
Big Tech is Detrimental to Freedom, Privacy
27 Mar '18 22:30
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