Go Jon Snow - Facebook a threat to democracy

 
 
 
 
 
 
Ally
Founder
Avatar
Gender:
Location: Muckamore, Antrim
Age: 55
Homepage: motorhomecraic.com
Posts: 32599
Registered: 08 / 2011
My Motorhome: Lunar Roadstar 780
Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.8 JTD
Subject:

Go Jon Snow - Facebook a threat to democracy

 · 
Posted: 24.08.2017  ·  #1
Completely agree with him here, but it needs to go further.

"Facebook should do more to tackle the spread of "cancerous" fake news, and help fund original journalism, newsreader Jon Snow has said.
The journalist, who has presented Channel 4 News since 1989, gave the MacTaggart Lecture at the annual Edinburgh TV festival.
He said Facebook's inaction was a "threat to democracy".
Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg says the company is "experimenting" with ways to support the news industry.
'Moral duty'
In a 50-minute speech, Mr Snow said Facebook had helped Channel 4 News find a wider audience for its reports, but left publishers at the mercy of the social network.
"Facebook's principles are seldom explained in detail and can change overnight at Mr Zuckerberg's whim," said Mr Snow.
He also criticised the company's reputation for allowing false stories to spread unchallenged.
"Facebook enabled the story, 'Pope endorses Trump for President'," he said.
"That engaged more than a million people during the US elections. That same algorithm that prioritised many amazing reports of ours, also prioritised fakery on a massive scale.
"Facebook has a moral duty to prioritise veracity over virality. It is fundamental to our democracy."

Full story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-41036802


Thorn123
Eat's Sleep's craic
Avatar
Gender:
Location: Laois
Age: 48
Posts: 2589
Registered: 07 / 2016
My Motorhome: Chasson flash 03
Base Vehicle: Ford transit 2.2
Subject:

Re: Go Jon Snow - Facebook a threat to democracy

 · 
Posted: 25.08.2017  ·  #2
It's interesting that a significant portion of the world population is obsessed with Facebook and it's users content. Luckily most members here are of an age to spot a pile of bs but considering the kids and the poorly educated folks across the world, it's easy to see why the "fake news" has taken off.
Interesting the number of mainstream new outlets reporting hacking related stories are rising fast. I wonder is the establishment pushing back to win the minds of the masses back?
On the other side of the coin, most government press releases equates to fake news once the spin as been striped out. I think it must be twenty years since a certain labour communication director from the UK burst onto the world stage to manage everyone's front page. We all remember the mess that, they caused.


hillton9
Eat's Sleep's craic
Avatar
Gender:
Location: Crossgar
Age: 67
Posts: 2909
Registered: 07 / 2013
My Motorhome: Rollerteam t-line 740
Base Vehicle: Fiat muiltijet
Subject:

Re: Go Jon Snow - Facebook a threat to democracy

 · 
Posted: 25.08.2017  ·  #3
And I thought you were talking about Jon snow from game of thrones


Ally
Founder
Avatar
Gender:
Location: Muckamore, Antrim
Age: 55
Homepage: motorhomecraic.com
Posts: 32599
Registered: 08 / 2011
My Motorhome: Lunar Roadstar 780
Base Vehicle: Fiat 2.8 JTD
Subject:

Re: Go Jon Snow - Facebook a threat to democracy

 · 
Posted: 25.08.2017  ·  #4
Winter is coming.


Selected quotes for multi-quoting:   0

Registered users in this topic

Currently no registered users in this section

The statistic shows who was online during the last 5 minutes. Updated every 90 seconds.