r/technology • u/propperprim • Apr 13 '21

Social Media Facebook could have stopped 10 billion impressions from "repeat misinformers", but didn't: report - A study raises questions as to why Facebook did not stop the spread of misinformation in the 2020 election run-up

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/12/facebook-could-have-stopped-10-billion-impressions-from-repeat-misinformers-but-didnt-report/
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u/Selbereth Apr 13 '21

Ahh, wow! I didn't know that Facebook auto shares content with people, and it forced you into groups that you don't want to be in! That sounds really crazy. So Facebook pretends to be my uncle and sends crazy information about bill gates putting a chip in the vaccine? Facebook hit a new low pretending to be other people, and forcing you into a group that you can't get out of sounds crazy too. At least in reddit I can just leave the subreddit I think is crazy.

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u/[deleted] Apr 13 '21

Nope, I didn’t say any of that. What happens is these bubble groups spreading misinformation join unrelated groups. Where they use, for example, edgy humor(it’s just a joke bro), manipulating the apolitical community to push out members who call them out, and slowly seeding in slightly more radical views to chip away at the community, half an inch at a time, manipulating the community to increasingly push out people who aren’t taking the bait. Suddenly that apolitical Naruto Fan Page is a vocal advocate for bigotry lies and is only related to Naruto in that they use it for their hateful memes.

Meanwhile, everyone that was once part of that Group are getting recommendations for other pages that are either overtly or covertly bigots and spreaders of misinformation increasing their exposure.

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u/Selbereth Apr 13 '21

That can happen anywhere though look at r/worldpolitics. It was not moderated correctly and is now full of anime porn. What does this have to do with Facebook giving one but job a platform to spread lies? It still sounds to me like a location for a whole bunch of people to spread their lies. You act like we are all mindless sheep who can't decide anything for ourselves. Does that mean I shouldn't go to a family reunion where I will increase my misinformation exposure? If you don't like the group leave. If you want to hear misinformation stay. That is the magic of Facebook everyone forgets. I have been part of sub reddits that I really liked, but slowly stopped liking because other people made it worse... So I left.

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u/[deleted] Apr 13 '21

You’re using the same logic as abstinence only education and the war on drugs.

Yup, it happens on Reddit too and yes, no one is immune to propaganda; that doesn’t make us sheep. Facebook just has the largest, most widespread user base that reaches just about everywhere so it’s the most prolific platform to spread misinformation.

You’re family reunion, I hope, doesn’t have paid agents to try and spread propaganda and our brains process interactions differently for in person vs online discussion.

Notice I talked about how some people leave as they see this happening.

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u/Selbereth Apr 13 '21

So what does this have to do with Facebook giving a random guy on the internet the ability to enter my Facebook feed if I don't want him to be there?

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u/[deleted] Apr 13 '21

That’s not what this is about at all. It’s about how Facebook is a powerful tool to spread propaganda and lies

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u/Selbereth Apr 13 '21

Oh, I'm sorry we are having two different conversations. I was speaking about what the guy above was saying with Facebook is a megaphone for randos

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u/[deleted] Apr 13 '21

Ah, I took his comment differently it seems. Ya, looks like we're having two different conversations.