Things that went whizzing by I want to be sure to remember... One Video: Authoritarian state surveillance capitalism: Barry Naughton: China Creating a New Type of Economic System? <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVkifqp6HI>:
"China’s rulers are majoritarians. Their hold on power involves convincing most citizens that prosperity, security and national strength require iron-fisted, one-party rule…."
Doesn't this describe Trumpist Republicans?
"At the heart of Facebook’s misinformation problems is the design of Facebook itself…. Facebook’s algorithm recommended groups to its users based on what people with similar interests tended to also like…. And so users found communities, some of which propelled them deeper into misinformation rabbit holes…."
Facts were similarly relatively impotent weapons in countering climate change denial. Randy Olsen wrote a book "Don't Be Such a Scientist" emphasizing that arguments needed to be not just aimed at the head, but also the heart and groin. Facebook's algorithms are a whole new layer of problem to contend with. But how one tweaks the algorithm to be useful rather than bad is a very difficult problem to solve. Are there any clues from when printing pamphlets became very cheap?
But I am going to include teh media in the problem as well. Twice in teh last week, they allowed extended lies to be promulgated. Firstly on their Americast podcast where Republican Ron Christe was allowed to continue to frame Georgia's voter suppression laws as just trying to fix "voter integrity". Both presenters failed to effectively push back. Then again, BBC's Newsnight, one of their flagship news magazines (again with Emily Maitliss) allowed a Republican to spew lies. Fortunately, the liberal commentator was able to debunk most of the lies, resulting in Mr. republican walking out of the Zoom interview. That the BBC still plays the "both sides" game is appalling, even if they are falling over backward to dispel the framing that they are a left-wing media organization to try to retain the license fee arrangement.
"China’s rulers are majoritarians. Their hold on power involves convincing most citizens that prosperity, security and national strength require iron-fisted, one-party rule…."
Doesn't this describe Trumpist Republicans?
"At the heart of Facebook’s misinformation problems is the design of Facebook itself…. Facebook’s algorithm recommended groups to its users based on what people with similar interests tended to also like…. And so users found communities, some of which propelled them deeper into misinformation rabbit holes…."
Facts were similarly relatively impotent weapons in countering climate change denial. Randy Olsen wrote a book "Don't Be Such a Scientist" emphasizing that arguments needed to be not just aimed at the head, but also the heart and groin. Facebook's algorithms are a whole new layer of problem to contend with. But how one tweaks the algorithm to be useful rather than bad is a very difficult problem to solve. Are there any clues from when printing pamphlets became very cheap?
But I am going to include teh media in the problem as well. Twice in teh last week, they allowed extended lies to be promulgated. Firstly on their Americast podcast where Republican Ron Christe was allowed to continue to frame Georgia's voter suppression laws as just trying to fix "voter integrity". Both presenters failed to effectively push back. Then again, BBC's Newsnight, one of their flagship news magazines (again with Emily Maitliss) allowed a Republican to spew lies. Fortunately, the liberal commentator was able to debunk most of the lies, resulting in Mr. republican walking out of the Zoom interview. That the BBC still plays the "both sides" game is appalling, even if they are falling over backward to dispel the framing that they are a left-wing media organization to try to retain the license fee arrangement.