Lalo Alcaraz for October 06, 2021

Facebook is pretty much getting the (well deserved) lion’s share of editorial cartoon acrimony this week.

Interestingly enough, Facebook is using the same argument that radio and TV stations used to use when they got caught broadcasting racist and bigoted misinformation. they usually got slapped on the wrist, fined and, if they didn’t stop it, shut down!

I guess it’s too much to ask that today’s congressman do the same, since they are one of the primary purveyors of misinformation on the platform we wish them to regulate. sigh.

gee wiz facebook and the GQP have so much in common

hey cousin Linda look what I made for lunch, oh by the way the mailman says the vaccine gave him the crabs and tRUMP will be reinstated this afternoon

That cross in your signature is divisive, too, Alcaraz

I only saw the top of this cartoon at first and my immediate thought was what have the Republicans done now.

It’s a shame that FB has no real discussion and is just a platform for unchallenged — often unfounded, irrational, or emotional — CONCLUSIONS.

Facebook does not create misinformation, division and hate. And, in truth, I suspect they never even set out to deliberately amplify it. Though they do. What I DO think happened is that they did what I’ve participated in when I worked at Disney. You put in a small change in algorithm and give about 20% of your users that experience, leaving the other 80% as “control”. Then you see which group gives you the better profit. If you use FB, you have participated in such “A-B testing”. Things like changing the layout, which is mostly annoying… or hiding/emphasizing various aspects of your experience.

After 10 or more years doing that sort of thing, the algorithms are now well tuned to increase participation and as we all know, people like to yell at each other when online. And THAT is how it happened, I think.

Is it their fault. Absolutely. Was it their intention? Probably not, at first… but it would take someone dumber than programmers to miss the implications after all this time. And so yes, they have been seduced down the path of “good intentions”. But of course corporations have no conscience, no empathy, need to self regulate … except in the search for higher profits.

…….and that’s just if you stick to your relatives on facebook.

Misinformation, division, hate are all goals in common with the Republican Party of Trump.

.

Coincidence? Sure.

Those subjects never came up when Zuck man had dinner with Trump.

Now I’’m wondering how much stock Trump owns in Facebook? It’s his kind of platform so I’m sure he has a seat at the board of directors’ table.

The law that requires people to use facebook should be changed. /s

The problem with free speech is that everybody has it.

I just flipped through a few randoms and I just thought, “They should not have comment sections on political cartoons”.

When my church closed to worship during the lockdowns, we streamed a 10 am morning Sunday service on Facebook (It could also be seen on YouTube). We’ve reopened for live worship at 9 and 11:15 am services (but we’re still livestreaming 11:15 services for those who don’t feel comfortable in the church right now). And I still check facebook alerts from friends who post photos and updates about their families. But I currently don’t have the Facebook app on my phone or tablet because of all those who state the most outlandish things behind the cover of the web. Leave it to Americans to politicize something as seemingly normal as staying in touch with friends.

The thing i like least about FB is that only rarely does anyone talk about what’s truly going on with themselves. It’s all superficial stuff.

“vaccines are safe & effective!”