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The Social Media Thread

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By "social media" we mean any large computer network that allows people to interact in shared communities. The big ones of course are Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram, but we can't forget newer platforms like Discord and Slack.

Dedicated video sites are off-topic here and YouTube has its own separate thread.

What we should discuss in this OTC topic are news items, business operations, and activities by the networks themselves, not specific things posted by users. Those should go into threads appropriate to the subjects of those posts. For example, if an actor tweets about a film, we'd discuss that in the Media forum topic for the film, not here. If Facebook changes its policies, that could be discussed here.

The politics, motives, competency and wider business activities of the owners and leaders of social media companies (e.g. Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg) are also off-topic — except in situations where they are directly making specific policy for the platform.

Talking about a particular Instagram policy change (or a high-profile ban on a specific user) directly announced by Mark Zuckerberg would be acceptable in this thread, speculating about Zuckerberg's wider motivations wouldn't be.

One exception is Truth Social, due to its connection to Donald Trump. As there is a forum ban on US Politics, all discussion of Truth Social is off-topic and posts about the platform may be thumped.

The thread's also not about "dumb thing [public figure] said on [social media platform]". If there isn't a specific thread related to the subject of the statement, then it's probably gossip and not worth talking about.


     Thread OP 
So, I was looking for a dedicated social media thread and apparently there was this one created back in 2020 that we never opened. Unfortunately, it's a little stale, so bumping it isn't going to work very well, but I would like to restart it. The reason I'm doing so is that the Computer Thread seems to have become the de facto place for this sort of talk, and it's a big tonal clash with talking about computer tech.

The hot topic of the day is Elon Musk's bid to acquire Twitter. We first discussed it in the Computer Thread, starting roughly here, and I am not going to rehash the entire discussion. Instead, I am going to resume from the last post:

CNBC: Twitter is reportedly taking another look at Musk takeover bid

Twitter's board is reportedly meeting with Elon Musk and may seek to negotiate on his buyout offer. Musk claims to have secured $46 billion in funding to buy the company at a valuation of $43 billion and is preparing to make a tender offer to its shareholders.

While the board has passed a poison pill, it could be facing resistance to that from groups of shareholders and will want to talk things out rather than face a hostile takeover. It's also possible that Twitter's stock could crash if the offer fails to go through.


Another possible topic was originally posted here.

Ars Technica: EU to unveil landmark law to force Big Tech to police illegal content

Following on from the recently passed Digital Markets Act, which requires large tech companies to unbundle first-party software from hardware platforms, the proposed Digital Services Act will require medium and large social media platforms and search engines to police hate speech and disinformation while adding additional protections for children against targeted marketing.

It also bans "dark patterns", which manipulate or trick people into clicking on ads or other content. The article doesn't explicitly say what that means, but I assume it includes things like disguising ads to look like parts of a site's user interface, hiding "close" buttons, and such.

For large companies, the requirements would go into effect immediately. For medium companies, they would have a grace period to implement the changes.

Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, has warned that Big Tech has become “too big to care.”

This phrase, "too big to care", intrigues me. It's an indictment of the idea that these companies have decided that growth and engagement metrics overwhelm any sense of social responsibility.

In my opinion, a law like this would be impossible in the United States, since it would be challenged (likely successfully) on First Amendment grounds.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 8th 2024 at 5:16:31 PM

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#15251: Mar 1st 2024 at 9:01:18 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15252: Mar 2nd 2024 at 2:28:20 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15253: Mar 2nd 2024 at 3:00:23 AM

On another topic, is there such a thing as AI-generated spam bots now?

I noticed that an old forum that has been pretty much dead for the last decade suddenly got an influx of spam. The spam was generally off-topic for the threads it was posted in... yet seemed oddly tailored to common subjects of discussion on the forum. It seemed to be very aware of old gripes about the magazine and its content, about creators and characters, turning them into provocative questions.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
alekos23 Since: Mar, 2013
#15254: Mar 2nd 2024 at 3:04:57 AM

we're reaching terminal dead internet soon huh

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15255: Mar 2nd 2024 at 3:22:13 AM

It's only a matter of time before AI spambots will start arguing amongst themselves on dead forums.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Zendervai Since: Oct, 2009
#15256: Mar 2nd 2024 at 6:25:52 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#15257: Mar 2nd 2024 at 7:17:38 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#15258: Mar 2nd 2024 at 7:20:20 AM

Yannow, this is becoming a bit too much about Elon Musk, maybe? Especially since it's rather heavily reliant on rumour and extrapolation.

[edited out some potential derail bait]

Edited by SeptimusHeap on Mar 3rd 2024 at 9:16:35 PM

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#15259: Mar 2nd 2024 at 7:34:06 AM

I've watched a ton of content about this subject and the reason that these folks spam their scam posts on social media is that they work. Moderation and law enforcement will be fighting an eternal rearguard action to mitigate the harm because they cannot fix the core economic fact: this form of crime pays.

John Oliver recently put out a segment on pig-butchering scams, and the conclusion he came to (and one that I wholeheartedly agree with) is that the only way this stuff will stop is if people stop falling for it.

I don't know how to fix people — if I did I'd either be crowned Emperor of the Earth or assassinated — but I have finite reserves of sympathy.

Edited by Fighteer on Mar 2nd 2024 at 10:34:39 AM

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15260: Mar 2nd 2024 at 7:39:56 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Imca (Veteran)
#15261: Mar 2nd 2024 at 8:48:49 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
diddyknux (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#15262: Mar 2nd 2024 at 9:21:01 AM

<Edited because off-topic>

Edited by diddyknux on Mar 2nd 2024 at 11:27:07 AM

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15264: Mar 2nd 2024 at 9:33:52 AM

I don't think the spam I mentioned was about crypto, mind. It just seemed like random spam.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#15265: Mar 2nd 2024 at 3:30:10 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#15266: Mar 2nd 2024 at 8:51:30 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Zazie122 from New Zealand Since: Jul, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#15267: Mar 2nd 2024 at 9:19:58 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#15268: Mar 2nd 2024 at 9:21:43 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#15269: Mar 2nd 2024 at 11:03:01 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
It's been fun.
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15270: Mar 3rd 2024 at 12:10:46 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
GastonRabbit MOD C'est la vie. (he/him) from Robinson, Illinois, USA (General of TV Troops) Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
C'est la vie. (he/him)
#15271: Mar 3rd 2024 at 12:11:46 AM

I'd like to remind everyone that this is the social media thread, not the Elon Musk, AI, and/or cryptocurrency thread.

[down]Edit: Yes, so I unthumped those posts. The general discussion about AI software that came up later is off-topic, though.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Mar 3rd 2024 at 2:35:48 PM

I got a rock for Halloween.
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#15272: Mar 3rd 2024 at 12:27:35 AM

We were talking about AI as used on social media, though, does that not count?

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#15273: Mar 3rd 2024 at 12:37:25 AM

Yeah mine was specifically talking about Grok, aka the AI built into Twitter.

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#15274: Mar 3rd 2024 at 1:16:41 AM

As usual it neatly splits the difference between two or more relevant threads, but I don't really know what the answer there is when it comes to whether something is off-topic or equally on-topic in both.

It's been fun.
Zazie122 from New Zealand Since: Jul, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#15275: Mar 3rd 2024 at 12:46:19 PM

I too was talking about it in terms of social media and the whole idea of not knowing whether or not the people you're talking to are real or a bot/AI.

Since social media is filled with a lot of fake content and accounts that don't have a real person behind them, after all.

EDIT: Not trying to argue with the thump decision, just explaining why I posted it in this thread and not the AI one.

Edited by Zazie122 on Mar 4th 2024 at 9:59:06 AM


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