(Disclaimer: I’ve NEVER signed up for ANY of the so-called “social media” apps, like Facebook, Twitter, etc. etc. – unless this is “social media”) I’m presently almost finished reading “An Ugly Truth” Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination by Sheera Frendel and Cecilia Kang. For years, based on what I’d “heard” I’ve been suggesting Mark Zuckerberg is “evil,” Facebook is “evil,” Twitter is “evil” and I’ve not mentioned the others because I don’t know what they’re doing (although both “Instagram” and “What’s App” are part of Facebook).
When I was still teaching, about something like 10 to 12 years ago I was asked to attend a district technology meeting. The focus of the meeting was an introduction to “Twitter” and it didn’t come across to me as something positive despite the enthusiasm from the (young) members of our district’s technology department. Back then we were just beginning to get computers into classrooms. Most students had access to computers in the computer labs. “Twitter” didn’t come across to me as a responsible way to teach students to “write.” I went back to our administration and suggested they choose someone else for this “project” and that was the closest I’ve come to becoming part of “social media.”
That all being said, everything I ever thought about Zuckerberg has been reinforced and then some reading this book. I’ve written in the past it appears to me the downward spiral which is engulfing America found a mechanism to replicate itself with the advent of Facebook. Zuckerberg, despite his supposed “liberal” leanings, has absorbed the advice of “libertarian” members of his board who seem to support his apparent goal to “rule the world” – at least that’s how it’s coming across to me. Zuckerberg seems to have no concern about the DAMAGE his platform is fueling around the world due to his FOCUS on sucking in users to spend as much time on the platform as possible – sucking them in with algorithms which glorify “sensational” conspiracy theories which are “planted” on their platform by people using Facebook’s system to attack the fundamentals of one democracy after another across the globe.
To me, this is far more SERIOUS than even I had imagined – prior to my reading this book. Zuckerberg’s goal is to have 5 BILLION users! He is determined to “steamroll” anything which appears to be reasonable competition. He paid $19 BILLION for “What’s App” because it was outperforming Facebook “messenger.” I understand neither – although I’ve read where “What’s App” is a way to send encrypted messages so that you leave no trace in case you’re doing something – well, wrong. This was the “app” which, I believe, Jared Kushner was using to communicate with MBS of Saudi Arabia. (Just another example of a member of individual 1’s administration using communications devices which were unauthorized – see the ASSAULTS on Hillary Clinton for using a private email server, even though she turned over relevant communications to the State Department, leading to individual 1 and his minions leading chants of “lock her up.”)
As an aside – both individual 1 AND Mark Meadows, his final chief of staff, were using their personal cell phones during the reign of our TWICE IMPEACHED so-called two time popular vote LOSING (ex) president. Just one more reason I’m wondering “where is Merrick Garland?” If you remember the FBI spending MONTHS investigating Ms. Clinton’s use of a private email server and the FBI’s director, James Comey in essence putting the final “nail” in the “coffin” of Ms. Clinton’s campaign for president? I was watching the polls after Comey “re-opened” the “investigation” of the Clinton emails and it became clear, at least to me, that Comey’s announcement was as much a reason as the Russian interference or the Cambridge Analytica use of Facebook’s “data” in determining the outcome of the 2016 election. (And, keep in mind, individual 1 was planning to contest that election too had, as most suspected, he would lose. Roger Stone had already “coined” the phrase “Stop the Steal”)
So, back to Facebook, and I might as well get right into the data breach which was the result of Cambridge Analytica gathering the “data” of around 90 MILLION American Facebook users. First I’ve got to add Cambridge Analytica was funded by Robert Mercer (and other right wingers) and, at the time, attracting Steve Bannon as a client – two of the original “alt right” Americans – at least they seemed to have “coined” that term. Cambridge “stole” data from MILLIONS of Americans back in 2014 via Facebook’s “open” platform which, essentially, encouraged it via their “openness.” They weaponized this data for use during the 2016 campaign for the benefit of individual 1. (They also played a role in the “Brexit” campaign – pushing for “Brexit.”)
It was actually a professor at Cambridge University named Aleksandr Kogan who discovered the way to collect massive amounts of data from Facebook without the consent of the Facebook users and this “discovery” managed to become the focal point of Cambridge Analytica, a business in Great Britain, which was seemingly focused on being able to “swing” elections one way or the other. who gained the data from professor Kogan. Mr. Kogan used a scheme which took advantage of Facebook’s “Open Graph” program which was set up to, like pretty much everything Facebook does/did, increase the number of users on Facebook and the amount of time they spent on the platform.
I believe it’s credible to believe Cambridge Analytica did swing the Brexit election AND the American election of 2016. Eventually, Cambridge was exposed and shut down, but, I believe, despite their servers being compounded by British authorities, the data collected on Americans using Facebook remained in the possession of sycophants of individual 1 – meaning it may have been weaponized once again in 2020. Regardless, individual 1’s sycophants KNOW how to use Facebook to spread whatever misinformation they wish to spread – with, in essence, Facebook’s blessing!
That being said, Bannon worked with Cambridge Analytica to put the data into “neighborhoods” (or something of the like) – it’s been a couple years since I read “Mind F*cked” by Christopher Wylie who was integral in the dissemination of the Facebook data for Cambridge Analytica (CA). If I remember correctly, he was a student of professor Kogan and ended up working for CA – “Mind F*cked” was his “memoir.” Anyway, the the people whose data was stolen were put into “groups” which were like minded and whose “likes and dislikes” were such they could be “fed” disinformation and, presumably, “falling for it.” What’s more, with the way Facebook was set up to spread information it was estimated the results of Cambridge’s data theft affected around 157 MILLION American households. (That’s a lot) It’s reasonable to surmise CA may have swung not only the American election of 2016 but also the Brexit vote which also took place in the same year.
If you remember, shortly after assuming the “White House,” individual 1 began complaining about “fake news” – which, of course, that means he was promoting “fake news.” Actually, “fake news” was originally the work of the Russians in the “active measures” campaign – of Vladimir Putin – to undermine “Western democracies.” It seemed to me, at the time, that’s where individual 1 got the term, but, in reality, his campaign was weaponizing “fake news” via the CA data throughout the 2016 election cycle. But, as I always say, there’s more:
It was no surprise to me when, as I read “Mind F*cked” (that’s the actual title of the book), that the Russians ended up at the “door” of CA. Sure enough, they got their hands on the same data individual 1’s campaign was using to TARGET groups of American voters and, apparently, the Russians used the same data for their “active measures” campaign against “we the people.” And, of course, it all worked. Combined with Ms. Clinton’s poorly planned out campaign, Comey’s late announcement about Clinton’s emails, the use of CA’s data by both individual 1’s campaign and the Russians it proved enough to make the impossible possible – and, thus the four LONG years of individual 1 laying waste to American “norms” from the “White House.”
At various times Facebook has been “called on the carpet” for the consequences of their “profit over country” approach to business and over and over again the response of Zuckerberg – and his “number two” Sheryl Sandberg – “sorry, we’ll try to do better.” And, of course, they NEVER seem to do “better” and often times it appears to me, as I read the above mentioned book, they don’t really even try to do “better.” Zuckerberg seems to have a singular focus on causing BILLIONS of users to spend more time on the platform so he can monetize their use – by, in essence, doing what CA did in the recent elections – targeting users with advertisements in a plan devised by Ms. Sandberg.
When Zuckerberg is “called on the carpet” and forced to testify before Congress he uses right wing supporters to help him come up with a set of “talking points” which fail to address ANY of the issues Congressional leaders want to address. Facebook executives rely on the reality our Congress is made up with a bunch of “senior citizens” who have no idea of even the questions to ask – and, for questions submitted by their staffs, they have no idea what these question are referencing – allowing Zuckerberg (or, at times, Sandberg) to “spin” his/her way right off of Capitol hill. Employees of Facebook watch the hearings on TV and cheer everytime Zuckerberg or Sandberg “pull the wool over the eyes” of those asking the questions. And, when they can’t reasonably spin their way out of “trouble,” it’s “sorry, we’ll try to do better.”
Zuckerberg and Facebook executives remind me of the republican party I’ve been lamenting about for the past 20+ years. (Prior to that I was CHOOSING to “look the other way”) While reasonable people continue pointing out the THREAT they are to democracies around the world they forge ahead with their plan to, eventually, have 5 BILLION users around the world. There continue to be credible reports Facebook is being used by autocrats to, in some instances, to exterminate their “enemies” aside from the DAMAGE it’s doing to America – where their “algorithms” simply encourage the spreading of mis/disinformation. Conspiracy theorists openly have used Facebook to spread outright LIES and Zuckerberg simply states that’s “freedom of speech.” Even Alex Jones was allowed to spew the LIES about Sandy Hook without consequence for years. To me, it’s sickening!
And, the more you read about Zuckerberg the worse it gets. He’s the epitome of the “geek” who sees the world through the tunnel vision of his platform which was developed while he was in college at Harvard. He’s the classic example of “privilege” who seems to be unable to comprehend the DAMAGE he’s doing to MILLIONS around the world because of his obsession with his “vision.” It reminds me of the movie (I can’t remember the name) where the evil antagonist proclaims “I want to rule the world.” Yikes!!! There seem to me ONLY a few solutions to this problem – and, they come from our Congress which has trouble acting for just about ANYTHING! And, it’s “republicans” who are spreading the bulk of the mis/disinformation so do you actually think Moscow Mitch will allow Congress to act?
There are laws in place which seem to protect these social media apps from liability for the DAMAGE caused by the spread of this GARBAGE on their platforms. Personally, I believe the Facebook problem could be solved by allowing lawsuits when their inaction results in ILLEGAL activity, slander, or defamation! And, when politicians commit offenses – AKA Marjorie Taylor Greene, etc. – they should be able to be held accountable – LEGALLY, as well! As the old saying goes “Freedom isn’t free” – and “free speech” does not allow one person to defame another or cause another to be injured or libeled. If Facebook (and other social media platforms) aren’t “reeled” in, America’s demise will continue!
Final Thought: The reason my focus here is Facebook doesn’t mean I don’t think the other social media platforms are innocent. For Heaven’s sake, Facebook buys out their competition which is why Instagram and What’s App are part of their plethora of smaller “businesses.” And, of course, they get the same Zuckerberg “treatment” – which, in essence says, you can post just about anything you like and it’s considered “free speech.” There are exceptions – I’m thinking of Matt Gaetz – if you get my drift.
Twitter certainly doesn’t get a “pass” from me. From the little I know about “Twitter” there’s a lot of GARBAGE spread around that platform as well. It was good individual 1 was BANNED and recently Taylor Greene’s (personal) account was permanently shut down. However, she still has her official “.gov” account and, I suspect, the same kind of GARBAGE will be sent out to her 400,000 “followers.” It’s been reported republicans have become the masters at “grifting” off of these Facebook and Twitter accounts so Ms. Greene probably will use Twitter’s action against her personal account to cause her to raise a boatload of $$$ from her government account. Stay tuned……………….