The Merits of Social Media in this Pandemic

[getopt]

Then we could have spared our serious comments.

Oh, "we"? Are you part of an orchestration or did you fell apart?
Thank you for confirming that you mean it 'seriously'.

 

[eternal_noob]

I had hoped for some cool "disinformation" examples, for my personal entertainment.

Read up on the president of Belarus. He's the winner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_coronavirus_pandemic_in_Belarus#Government_response
Close before second winner Brazil's Bolsonaro: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...naro-says-coronavirus-crisis-is-a-media-trick
Third is Donald 'The Duck' Trump.

 

[SirDice]

Can we have a decent discussion about this? Or do we have to nuke the whole thread?

NO conspiracy theories! Yes, I'm looking at you balanga

 

[getopt]

SirDice
Thank you for not tolerating conspiracy theories here.

Trying to uncover desinformation in the Internet is always accompanied with contingency noise. It's easy to stand just that. While it is interesting to see where the wind comes from it is disillusionizing in a forum that is meant to help others in a a friendly and co-operative way.

The motivation to help others is endangered with such fighting. People who can't stand the headwind tend to leave communities where such confrontations and devisioning takes place. Not a few people have left the FreeBSD forums because of irrelevant chatter (intended disturbance), flaming (others opinion) and personal attacks (when not having arguments anymore). Good and helpful contributers have left and this is a shame.

 

[balanga]

NO conspiracy theories! Yes, I'm looking at you balanga

In 1500 there was a conspiracy theory that the Sun rather than Earth at the center of the universe.

 

[SirDice]

In 1500 there was a conspiracy theory that the Sun rather than Earth at the center of the universe.

That wasn't a conspiracy theory. That was the knowledge people had at that time. There's a big difference.

 

[getopt]

That wasn't a conspiracy theory. That was the knowledge people had at that time. There's a big difference.

It is sad that this has to be said. At a certain point arguments no not help anymore.

 

[SirDice]

I've unfriended quite a few people on Facebook lately. Mostly because they started spewing these Corona conspiracies, or that ridiculous anti-5G nonsense. Heck I've even seen combinations now, 5G is supposedly the cause of the symptoms and there's no Corona virus.

Under the heading “Link met coronavirus?” the Het Laatste Nieuws journalist pointed out that since 2019 a number of 5G cell towers had been built around Wuhan. Could the two things be related? “I have not done a fact check”, Van Kerckhoven cautioned, before piling in. “But it may be a link with current events”. And so the fuse was lit.

How the 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory tore through the internet

From an interview with an obscure Belgian doctor to apparent arson attacks in the UK, the conspiracy theory that 5G is somehow linked to the coronavirus pandemic has spread unlike any other

www.wired.co.uk

 

[getopt]

Sure, others stupidity can be a delightful entertainment.
But when linking obvious madness one should consider something like the Streisand-Effect. One helps spreading when showing it to others. That is the point when things are starting to go viral. And one cannot be sure that others see the madness, it might totally fit their views.

 

[eternal_noob]

NO conspiracy theories!

Thank you for watching. Must be hard times for forum mods these days.

the Sun rather than Earth at the center of the universe

Correction: The sun is in the center of our solar system. The center of the universe is Donald Trump.

 

[SirDice]

If at all possible, no politics either. It's too much of a hornets nest as it can and will attract the wrong kind of discussion here.

I love a good conspiracy theory, if done properly. All good conspiracy theories have a small nucleus of truth but explained slightly differently. It's interesting to see how easy it is to dupe people. My dad once told me the trams slept on their side when they're at the depot. And I believed him, granted I was probably 4 years old and simply didn't know any better. But most of the Corona (or anti-5G) theories I've seen are so blatantly fake it's not even funny any more.

 

[eternal_noob]

If at all possible, no politics either.

I apologize if my joke about mister Trump being in the center of the universe is considered politics. I just couldn't resist.

A leading South Korean doctor says Trump's 'pride' and 'ego' are putting the world's health at risk

"Trump has spoken dismissively about testing because of his ego," Min Pok-kee told Wired. "As we scientists see it, he's motivated by pride."

www.businessinsider.com

 

[SirDice]

It was more or less meant in general, someone will eventually turn things into a political debate. Much like that ever present Godwin's law.

I love a good joke

 

[fernandel]

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=3561958
https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-21211/v1

It is not social media but someone will have a time and read anywhere...

 

[drhowarddrfine]

Can we have a decent discussion about this? Or do we have to nuke the whole thread?

Nuke the whole thread. This has no place here even if it's "off topic".

"Social media" is a curse and a pox on the world that should be obliterated. 80% of all posts on such things are there by the hand of people who have no right or education. See reddit. It's the reason there are editors on responsible news platforms; to vet the irresponsible that now dominates the so-called "news".

I was shocked to learn, yesterday, that some people get their news from Facebook. That is such a horrific piece of information more terrible than covid-19.

 

[sidetone]

1/3 of America has been getting what they thought was news from Facebook for about a decade. Much of those were paid for advertisements, which were disseminated intentionally by backers of those advertisements and unwittingly by others. I was surprised by how many people believed Facebook and things like that.

The problem was there before the internet, but it wasn't nearly as widespread as it is now. Before it was limited to fewer outlets where disinformation literature reached book stores, I believe including even one located such as in Grand Central Station.

For the Internet, in the late 1990's and early 2000's there was a proportion of more smart people on the Internet. Then everyone else got online. They said, the Internet could educate more people, but it seemed to do the opposite too.

 

[getopt]

Nuke the whole thread. This has no place here even if it's "off topic".

With all respects. With your demand you make yourself party of those who's aim is to destruct this thread. This would not be admin's wisdom.

Critics of Social Media and disinformation there must be heard and will be heard.

 

[SirDice]

"Social media" is a curse and a pox on the world that should be obliterated.

Ehm, forums are a form of social media too. Usenet also. When you think about it, the old BBS's were too. Fidonet wouldn't have existed if people didn't want to socially interact with each other.

I was shocked to learn, yesterday, that some people get their news from Facebook.

I'm shocked to learn that you didn't know this before yesterday. This has been going on since forever, even long before Facebook, MySpace and all the "modern" equivalents of bulletin boards existed. The only difference is that now everybody is able to access them.

 

[getopt]

Ehm, forums are a form of social media too.

Good point! But they are different. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and similar are commercial. They exploit the need for communication for generating profits. Moderation in the so called "Social Media" is a cost factor. Click-baiting there generates profits. Not so here.

If the dumbest conspiracy theories or hate-talk is placed in commercial Social Media revenues are generated with ad-networks. If same is done here trouble starts.

 

[balanga]

That wasn't a conspiracy theory. That was the knowledge people had at that time. There's a big difference.

People were executed at the time for having views which differed from those in power.
The people with the real knowledge at the time were suppressed, just as they are now.

 

[SirDice]

People were executed at the time for having views which differed from those in power.
The people with the real knowledge at the time were suppressed, just as they are now.

Try reading an actual history book from time to time.

 

[getopt]

The people with the real knowledge

Why do you place the word "real" in front of knowledge?

 

[SirDice]

But they are different. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and similar are commercial.

True. But I do believe they all started with the best of intentions. But as soon as companies like that go public (shares, trading) it's not the original creator's control any more and it's the investor's control. The only reason why people invest in anything at all is because they believe they can make money off of it. That's when the problems begin.

Moderation in the so called "Social Media" is a cost factor.

Yes, it's also quite difficult. Even forums like ours have moderators and the more users we get the more moderation is required. Ever tried to drink from a fire hose? Same idea. It's just too much.

 

[mark_j]

Ehm, forums are a form of social media too. Usenet also. When you think about it, the old BBS's were too. Fidonet wouldn't have existed if people didn't want to socially interact with each other.

Not a fair comparison.
Back in the '80s/'90s, the BBS scene was the domain of the nerd. He (yes predominantly HE) spelt elite as l33t and downloaded pirated copies of Novell and Windows 3. Hell, even the early internet in the '80s, before it became what it is today, was frequented by nerds.

Nowadays, "social media" is a widespread pox on society. While it may do good in small pockets, it proliferates nonsense, conspiracy theories, anti-vaxers, haters, fake news and generally is, with few exceptions, the domain of idiots, SJWs, bullies and attention seekers.
It, unfortunately, gives a voice to those who just should not have a voice.

(You might guess from this I have NO time for faceplant, insta-twit and so on. Cynical? Hell yes!)
[/rant]

 

[getopt]

But I do believe they all started with the best of intentions.

Maybe in the very first days, when the idea was born. But that did not hold for long.

But as soon as companies like that go public (shares, trading) it's not the original creator's control any more

I doubt that because that would leave the initiators innocent. It's the owners responsibility turning a garage startup in a NYSE listed incorporation. One has to want it and usually one knows precisely where that is going. Zuckerberg still is responsible for the does and don'ts at Facebook. He is responsible for what is going on frontside to client and in backoffice. He is still responsible for all data leaks that became public and he is still the one responsible for the leaks that did not make it into the public. He has got more power than he can digest and certainly more power than a single individual needs. Facebook is a worldwide monopoly that needs to be broken up like once AT&T. Facebook needs an antitrust lawsuit.