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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

Mrph1 MOD he/him from Mercia (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: This is not my beautiful wife!
he/him
#16326: Aug 2nd 2024 at 1:19:39 AM

The usual reminder, just in case - Musk's behaviour is relevant In terms of the lawsuit and how he allegedly ended Twitter/X's deal with Lemon.

But let's not use this as a starting point for any wider conversation about Musk's actions as an individual. That would take us off-topic, as often happens when Musk's in the news for the way he uses social media rather than the way he owns it.

Imca (Veteran)
#16327: Aug 2nd 2024 at 1:33:42 AM

Most show contracts are signed with a minimum episode purchase, I would expect that the same happened here and Musk could be found to be liable for that.

Not even on a behavioral or any kind of thing like that, just a general trend of "I have not heard of a contract for a show that did not include a minimum purchase requirement", and thats an open and shut deal.

M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#16328: Aug 2nd 2024 at 1:46:13 AM

If said contract didn't have that clause, then Lemon and / or his attorneys are complete idiots.

Disgusted, but not surprised
Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#16329: Aug 2nd 2024 at 3:31:33 AM

I assume networks retain the right to cancel a show any time they want, though.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Mrph1 he/him from Mercia (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: This is not my beautiful wife!
he/him
#16330: Aug 2nd 2024 at 3:42:17 AM

You can cancel the show any time you want. But, typically, you still have contractual obligations to pay for it up to a certain point.

Edited by Mrph1 on Aug 2nd 2024 at 11:42:32 AM

Imca (Veteran)
#16331: Aug 2nd 2024 at 3:47:02 AM

You can cancel at any time generally, but if you do you still have to pay for the canceled episodes.

Redmess Redmess from Netherlands Since: Feb, 2014
Redmess
#16332: Aug 2nd 2024 at 4:02:13 AM

I think Dom Lemon could have seen that one coming if he had paid attention. Musk is not someone who deals well with criticism.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
Mrph1 he/him from Mercia (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: This is not my beautiful wife!
he/him
#16333: Aug 2nd 2024 at 4:25:26 AM

Given that Lemon apparently has a contract covering this and feels that he can win in a court of law, possibly he did.

VampireBuddha Calendar enthusiast from Ireland (Wise, aged troper) Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
Calendar enthusiast
#16334: Aug 2nd 2024 at 1:36:31 PM

In Meta-related news, Anwar Ibrahim is hitting out against Facebook for removing a recording he posted of a phone call he made to Hamas leadership to offer condolences over the killing of Ismail Haniyeh. Ibrahim said "Let this serve as a clear and unequivocal message to Meta: Cease this display of cowardice".

Meanwhile, Türkiye has blocked access to Instagram. Al Jazeera links this to Facebook's censoring of Ibrahim and of pro-Palestinian sentiment more broadly, but also notes that the BTK hasn't actually said why Instagram is blocked. The New Arab reports that Yeni Safak reports that the ban is a response to Intagram removing posts expressing condolences over Haniyeh's death.

(I believe this is on topic because it's about Facebook censoring world leaders, but that veering into discussions of Palestine and Israel are off topic).

Edited by VampireBuddha on Aug 2nd 2024 at 11:50:03 AM

Ukrainian Red Cross
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#16335: Aug 2nd 2024 at 8:55:19 PM

I am half certain this is social media related and I can delete it if it isn't: Elon Musk's Super PAC America PAC has created online ads that look like voter registration forms asking you for a ton of information and are deceiving possible voters into thinking they are registered.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#16336: Aug 2nd 2024 at 10:43:38 PM

[up]While interesting/horrifying, it veers too close to the locked thread to risk it especially since it's hard to tie into Social Media. Maybe take it to the general crimes thread?

tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#16337: Aug 2nd 2024 at 11:12:19 PM

I actually posted to the privacy thread since the "forms" want a whole bunch of your info.

If it becomes an ad on the site formerly known as Twitter (which I'm sure it will soon), then it would likely be more acceptable here.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
AngelusNox Warder of the damned from The guard of the gates of oblivion Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Married to the job
Warder of the damned
#16338: Aug 3rd 2024 at 2:08:31 AM

The problem is how the ad can be considered fraud if they mislead the users into believing they registered to vote and/or deceived them to gather personal information.

Using Xitter as a mean to spread the ad can make the Apartheid Space Karen liable. Since he knows that the ad is fraudulent and he was behind it.

Inter arma enim silent leges
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#16339: Aug 3rd 2024 at 2:41:17 AM

From the article Twitter is the only social media site that this ad does not run on, I suspect to avoid violating any finance laws.

Ramidel Since: Jan, 2001
#16340: Aug 3rd 2024 at 10:50:39 AM

[up][up][up]In this case, the fact that it's not running on Twitter is relevant to Twitter.

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#16341: Aug 3rd 2024 at 9:34:04 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
#16342: Aug 4th 2024 at 12:54:18 AM

Can you please not speak in memes? It's confusing.

Hope shines brightest in the darkest times
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#16343: Aug 4th 2024 at 10:07:02 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
It's been fun.
Mrph1 MOD he/him from Mercia (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: This is not my beautiful wife!
he/him
#16344: Aug 4th 2024 at 10:23:59 AM

As we've said before, Musk is only on-topic in terms of his ownership of Twitter/X. Anything else he does isn't. And calling him names doesn't help the discussion.

If this thread starts to veer off-topic again, we're going to end up thumping posts. And if that happens too often there will be questions about whether the thread should be locked entirely, at least for the moment.

We really don't want to have that conversation.

RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#16345: Aug 4th 2024 at 8:19:25 PM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
It's been fun.
Shaoken (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Dating Catwoman
#16346: Aug 4th 2024 at 8:26:27 PM

Perhaps this conversation is better suited for the self moderation thread?

kory MOD Admin (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Admin
#16347: Aug 4th 2024 at 8:39:36 PM

When a moderator says to stop talking about something or stop going off topic, it means you stop. OTC already takes up too much of moderation time and that's the entire reason the US politics thread was locked. If this thread requires constant moderator attention like it has recently then it will also be locked. We can start handing out harsher punishments to the specific users who violate the rules in OTC, but if that still isn't enough then it will eventually be locked. Social Media is a very broad topic, you just have to avoid the US politics and Musk specific conversations because those always seem to need moderator intervention.

Edited by kory on Aug 4th 2024 at 8:45:15 AM

Now Monitoring Query Bugs and Query Wishlist
BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#16348: Aug 5th 2024 at 6:52:20 PM

Does anyone know if Facebook is still widely used? I’m thinking of looking up a community on it.

You’re Gonna Carry That Weight.
Steven (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#16349: Aug 5th 2024 at 7:20:26 PM

I'm sure it is, but I am not sure if the younger crowd is using it since boomers are the more common user base now.

Remember, these idiots drive, fuck, and vote. Not always in that order.
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010

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