facebook is killing democracy

[SydneyRover]

'''It felt like a big tide': how the death tax lie infected Australia's election campaign''

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/08/it-felt-like-a-big-tide-how-the-death-tax-lie-infected-australias-election-campaign

[idler]

The trouble is that some gullible people take the likes of Facebook as gospel.
Misinformation always travels fast and usually gets exaggerated.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Twitter is the same. All social media is full of fake news and lies.  Sounds a bit Donald Trump but it's very true, I see it in my job recently with people on social media claiming to know about pieces of work I actually do before I'd even done them.

[BillyStubbsTears]

That's slightly missing the point BFYP.


This is not about individuals spreading lies. The new normal is political organisations and hostile states weaponising Facebook to spread lies during elections.

This is very serious for our democratic processes around the world.

[SydneyRover]

The trouble is that some gullible people take the likes of Facebook as gospel.
Misinformation always travels fast and usually gets exaggerated.

fb via a sponsor sends a personal tailored message to you, a message to reinforce your prejudices. I had an employee who told me he got all his news from the internet, didn't read the papers or watch tv news. Drip fed from an echo chamber.

[idler]

Maybe if Facebook and Twitter were fined a few million dollars each time this occurred they might be more vigilant.

[drfchound]

The trouble is that some gullible people take the likes of Facebook as gospel.
Misinformation always travels fast and usually gets exaggerated.

fb via a sponsor sends a personal tailored message to you, a message to reinforce your prejudices. I had an employee who told me he got all his news from the internet, didn't read the papers or watch tv news. Drip fed from an echo chamber.

There is a pile of rubbish printed in the newspapers as well though Sydney.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Hound.

Yes. But newspapers are regulated and can be fined for deliberately printing lies. Plus, newspapers are in the public domain. If they print lies, politicians can see that and address it.

Sending lies in secret, on social media, to people who have been targeted as being susceptible to believing those lies, and isolated from hearing contrary opinions is the new issue.

It's happening. Right now. In elections all over the world.

[Herbert Anchovy]

I don’t don’t do Facebook or Twitter but some months ago I was shown an example of 2 fake account ‘bots’ arguing with each other on Twitter about Brexit. Surreal to say the least.

[SydneyRover]

I don’t don’t do Facebook or Twitter but some months ago I was shown an example of 2 fake account ‘bots’ arguing with each other on Twitter about Brexit. Surreal to say the least.

It wasn't trump and farage was it HA?

[albie]

Anyone who doubts the power of FaceCrook should watch this vid from Carole Cadwalladr of the Observer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSMr-3GGvQ

Folk need to think who they are helping when you give them your data, and they give you your opinion!