Read on Twitter
Alternate reading: “we got there the American way, by hastening the decline of democracy” 
https://twitter.com/b_fung/status/1288230070117597190
https://twitter.com/b_fung/status/1288230070117597190
Honestly, if Facebook had been a force for transparency, for equality, for the protection of human rights, for democratic ideals, I would be all in on the “rah rah America” talking point, but the facts point to the opposite.
(Oh no, a thread:)
(Oh no, a thread:)
Me in 2018: "Facebook has a history of double standards, kowtowing to the demands of authoritarian governments around the globe while paying lip service to the protection of free speech in order to preserve the company’s lucrative market share." https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/04/13/why-dictators-love-facebook/
Me in 2019, on the ways Facebook has monopolized communications in countries that have little visibility with the corporate behemoth: https://medium.com/@nina.jankowicz/quitting-facebook-is-easier-in-rich-countries-ec9de09de273
Also from 2019, the ways in which Facebook botched its already lackluster attempt to crack down on disinformation during Ukraine's presidential election: https://www.politico.eu/article/facebook-regulation-fail-ukraine-should-worry-europe/
Oh, and in case you forgot, Facebook isn't protecting free speech, and "technology" isn't an unadulterated societal good that sprinkles people with First Amendment fairy dust at each login. https://slate.com/technology/2019/01/zuckerberg-facebook-new-year-challenge-speech.html
Over and over since the WSJ investigation broke in June, we've seen the ways that FB has silenced internal research about algorithmic bias and indoctrination on the platform. Some of that is happening via Groups, as @CindyOtis_ and I wrote in @WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-groups-are-destroying-america/
Anyway. Just a little light reading for you before Zuckerberg tries to cast himself as a defender of good old fashioned American democracy tomorrow.
Tl;dr: he's not.
cc @RepJerryNadler @HouseJudiciary
Tl;dr: he's not.
cc @RepJerryNadler @HouseJudiciary
One more point:
Facebook is no longer GOOD for the American brand. It’s actively undermining it. It’s providing a platform where extremism flourishes and demagoguery reigns. Regardless of the company’s American Dream origins, it’s modern manifestation is thoroughly un-American.
Facebook is no longer GOOD for the American brand. It’s actively undermining it. It’s providing a platform where extremism flourishes and demagoguery reigns. Regardless of the company’s American Dream origins, it’s modern manifestation is thoroughly un-American.
