Internet and Social Media (49)
Find narratives by ethical themes or by technologies.
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- 6 min
- Wired
- 2019
Spreading of harmful content through Youtube’s AI recommendation engine algorithm. AI helps create filter bubbles and echo chambers. Limited user agency to be exposed to certain content.
- Wired
- 2019
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- 6 min
- Wired
- 2019
The Toxic Potential of YouTube’s Feedback Loop
Spreading of harmful content through Youtube’s AI recommendation engine algorithm. AI helps create filter bubbles and echo chambers. Limited user agency to be exposed to certain content.
How much agency do we have over the content we are shown in our digital artifacts? Who decides this? How skeptical should we be of recommender systems?
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- 5 min
- Time
- 2021
In 2021, former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to the fact that Facebook knew how its products harmed teenagers in terms of body image and social comparison; yet because of their interest in their profit model, they do not significantly attempt to ameliorate these harms. This article provides four key lessons to learn from how Facebook’s model is harmful.
- Time
- 2021
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- 5 min
- Time
- 2021
4 Big Takeaways From the Facebook Whistleblower Congressional Hearing
In 2021, former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to the fact that Facebook knew how its products harmed teenagers in terms of body image and social comparison; yet because of their interest in their profit model, they do not significantly attempt to ameliorate these harms. This article provides four key lessons to learn from how Facebook’s model is harmful.
How does social quantification result in negative self-conception? How are the environments of social media platforms more harmful in terms of body image or “role models” than in-person environments? What are the dangers of every person having easy access to a broad platform of communication in terms of forming models of perfection? Why do social media algorithms want to feed users increasingly extreme content?
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- 4 min
- Reuters
- 2020
Facebook has a new independent Oversight Board to help moderate content on the site, picking individual cases from the many presented to them where it is alright to remove content. The cases usually deal in hate speech, “inappropriate visuals,” or misinformation.
- Reuters
- 2020
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- 4 min
- Reuters
- 2020
From hate speech to nudity, Facebook’s oversight board picks its first cases
Facebook has a new independent Oversight Board to help moderate content on the site, picking individual cases from the many presented to them where it is alright to remove content. The cases usually deal in hate speech, “inappropriate visuals,” or misinformation.
How much oversight do algorithms or networks with a broad impact need? Who all needs to be in a room when deciding what an algorithm or site should or should not allow? Can algorithms be designed to detect and remove hate speech? Should such an algorithm exist?
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- 5 min
- TechCrunch
- 2020
At the end of 2020, Twitch, a social network predicated on streaming video content and commenting, expanded and clarified its definitions of hateful content in order to moderate comments or posts which harassed other users or otherwise had a negative effect on other people. However, as a workplace, the Twitch company has much to prove before validating this updated policy as something more than a PR move.
- TechCrunch
- 2020
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- 5 min
- TechCrunch
- 2020
Twitch updates its hateful content and harassment policy after company called out for its own abuses
At the end of 2020, Twitch, a social network predicated on streaming video content and commenting, expanded and clarified its definitions of hateful content in order to moderate comments or posts which harassed other users or otherwise had a negative effect on other people. However, as a workplace, the Twitch company has much to prove before validating this updated policy as something more than a PR move.
How can content moderation algorithms be used for a greater good, in terms of recognizing hate speech and symbols? What nuances might be missed by this approach? What does the human part of content moderation look like? What responsibilities does such a position come with? How might content moderation on digital platforms moderate harassment behaviors in real life, and vice versa?
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- 5 min
- ABC News
- 2020
The United States government is pushing its interest in breaking up the tech monopoly that is Facebook, hoping to restore some competition in the social networking and data selling market which the company dominates. Facebook, of course, is resistant to these efforts.
- ABC News
- 2020
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- 5 min
- ABC News
- 2020
Facebook hit with antitrust lawsuit from FTC and 48 state attorneys general
The United States government is pushing its interest in breaking up the tech monopoly that is Facebook, hoping to restore some competition in the social networking and data selling market which the company dominates. Facebook, of course, is resistant to these efforts.
What role did data collection and use play in Facebook’s rise as a monopoly power? What would breaking up this monopoly accomplish? Will users achieve more data privacy if one large company does not own several platforms on which users communicate?
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- 5 min
- NPR
- 2020
After the FTC and 48 States charged Facebook with being a monopoly in late 2020, the FTC continues the push for accountability of tech monopolies by demanding that large social network companies, including Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter, share exactly what they do with user data in hopes of increased transparency. Pair with “Facebook hit with antitrust lawsuit from FTC and 48 state attorneys general“
- NPR
- 2020
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- 5 min
- NPR
- 2020
Amazon, TikTok, Facebook, Others Ordered To Explain What They Do With User Data
After the FTC and 48 States charged Facebook with being a monopoly in late 2020, the FTC continues the push for accountability of tech monopolies by demanding that large social network companies, including Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter, share exactly what they do with user data in hopes of increased transparency. Pair with “Facebook hit with antitrust lawsuit from FTC and 48 state attorneys general“
Do you think that users, especially younger users, would trade their highly-tailored recommender system and social network experiences for data privacy? How much does transparency of tech monopolies help when many people are not fluent in the concept of how algorithms work? Should social media companies release the abstractions of users that it forms using data?