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Kaz Weida

14 Sep, 11 tweets, 5 min read

In today's thread we're taking a peak into the dark corner of the internet that is Facebook. Is anyone trying to do anything about the threats unregulated social media platforms pose?

Is Facebook going to be allowed to continue to poison us with misinformation?
(THREAD)

(2) One of the items Biden's FCC was set to tackle is what to do about tech giants.

After the role Facebook played in disinformation campaigns ahead of the 2016 election, it's clear we have to do something. And anti-trust laws aren't going to cut it.

brookings.edu/blog/techtank/…

(3) Facebook knew this moment was coming and tried to position itself for the new era of accountability by suggesting some measures they could impose for better self regulation.

Basically a laundry list of relatively ineffective stuff they already do.

theverge.com/interface/2020…

(4) This idea that social media platforms can self regulate themselves is laughable but they continue to invest big dollars lobbying for it.

And intentionally setting up internal regulatory boards designed to fail but present the appearance of progress.

wired.com/story/facebook…

(5) Take for example the latest proof that Facebook's cooperation with misinformation researchers was a charade.

Did Facebook release incomplete data intending to mislead? And does it even matter what their intentions were?

theverge.com/2021/9/11/2266…

(6) Because fundamentally, Facebook does not enforce their own moderation rules. And everyone knows this.

If you have enough money and enough clout, you can get away with anything. So the idea social media has the ability to self regulate is ridiculous.

gizmodo.com/report-faceboo…

(7) Whatever we decide to do, we need to do it fast because Facebook is leaning into the kinds of polarization that will incite not just government but societal collapse.

You can see their capitalist footprint all over COVID misinformation.

engadget.com/social-media-p…

(8) Anytime we begin to look under the hood of how the minority ends up rallying support to enact laws to suppress the majority in this country, there's Facebook.

They don't just swim in the cesspool. They created it.

thedailybeast.com/facebook-is-ra…

(9) It would be disingenous to pretend that if Facebook went away, our problems would be solved. Because issues also abound in platforms like Instagram.

Silicon valley is eating us alive & we're livestreaming the carnage.

wsj.com/articles/faceb…

(10) We need to look at better solutions than the ones currently being deployed to deal with Facebook.

For now, the best defense we have is to focus on disarming social media by giving them less access to our data & less influence in the marketplace.

wired.com/story/what-if-…

@dcdeejay

(END) Thanks for stopping by for our thread, suggestion courtesy of @dcdeejay . Come back Thursday and we'll do this again.

Like threads like this and want to keep them coming? You can support my work here:
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More from @kazweida

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

16 Sep

In today’s thread we’re taking a closer look at the CA recall. Does it tell us anything about Dem chances in the 2022 midterms?

What lessons can we learn about how to motivate voters and get the kind of turnout even the GOP can’t gerrymander away.

(THREAD)

(2) Saying the recall failed is a bit of an understatement. It fell flat as a pancake. 70% of CA voters said no to recalling Dem governor Newsom.

So the media framing that Dems should take to heart hard lessons here seems misplaced.

cnbc.com/2021/09/15/cal…

(3) In fact the CA recall, widely seen as a referendum on Biden and aggressive pandemic management should be seen as a bellwether.

CA overwhelming said yes to vaccines. Yes to science. And yes to abortion rights.

The GOP should sit up and take note.

usatoday.com/story/opinion/…

Read 11 tweets

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

26 Aug

In today's thread we're asking what's the cost of COVID? This is a difficult question to answer for several reasons.

Let's start at the beginning.
With straightforward healthcare costs.
Who is paying for the unvaccinated?

The short answer? All of us.
Let me explain.
(THREAD)

(2) The economic impact of the virus extends in all directions. Unemployment, loss of life, long term disability. All of these effects have costs.

A Harvard economic study published in JAMA last year estimated COVID had already cost the US 16 trillion.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/…

(3) Many of these costs might have been avoided early on with investment in more robust testing and other mitigation measures.

This year we have vaccines. And they are worth every penny. But the unvaccinated continue to cost us in more ways than one.

marketwatch.com/story/unvaccin…

Read 12 tweets

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

24 Aug

In today's thread we're talking about adult content. Don't get too excited, though. Because something rather insidious is happening and I'm not sure we're all fully grasping the issue.

And at the bottom of this mess is Mastercard and Visa.
Let me explain.
(THREAD)

(2) Mastercard & others quietly changed their rules for processing charges earlier this year. Adult content needs to demonstrate consent & age to process payments.

On the surface, this seems aimed at preventing abuse. But it has unintended consequences.

thehill.com/policy/technol…

(3) One consequence was OnlyFans had to ban adult & explicit content.

Many lawyers suggest that the risk of being associated with enabling sex trafficking, child pornography, and revenge porn was just to great for the banks and the sites they serve.

newsweek.com/why-visa-maste…

Read 10 tweets

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

10 Aug

In today's thread we're tackling a question everyone is asking these days. Why on earth does Louis DeJoy still have a job as postmaster?

You'd assume the Biden administration could find a way to kick him to the curb by now, but it's more complicated than it seems.
(THREAD)

(2) News that DeJoy's company just earned itself a big juicy contract from the USPS has everyone more than a little outraged.

It's clear that Republican members of the USPS board of governors seem to be milking the agency dry at the expense of taxpayers.
washingtonpost.com/business/2021/…

(3) Coupled with continued cutbacks on mail service and mounting delays, DeJoy still seems to be doing everything in his power to sink the USPS.

So why is he still in charge and what can we do about it?

npr.org/2021/08/06/102…

Read 11 tweets

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

9 Aug

I know people like to compare requiring licensing or seatbelts on roadways to requiring masks.

But those comparisons don’t convey the crux of the problem.

If you crash without your seatbelt, the person who gets hurt by your negligence is you.

Not so with masks.
(THREAD)

(2) Your refusal to wear a mask makes my mask less effective at preventing infection.

It would be like if your failure to wear a seatbelt exposed me to a greater risk of death.

I think the best metaphor for mask wearing if we want to talk motor vehicle laws is speeding.

(3) We have speed limits most places but especially in residential areas. Why?

We’ve decided slowing down prevents fatal accidents for everyone.

Your right to go the speed you want even if it’s risky is overridden by public safety.

Read 7 tweets

Kaz Weida

@kazweida

7 Aug

I don’t know who needs to hear this but if your district won’t offer online school, there are a bunch of online charter schools that serve K-12 and essentially function as public schools in most states. They’re free of charge to you.

Now I’m not saying they’re a fantastic option. And you definitely need to be at home and be involved. But the curriculum closely follows state standards and it’s not as terrifying as homeschooling from scratch.

It’s a good short term solution for some.

npr.org/2020/11/30/928…

Yes, I am well aware of the evils of charter schools and how I’m supporting the Republican agenda of undermining public schools but right now parents choices aren’t great.

It’s risk the lives of the people we love or compromise. Give us better choices and we’ll make them.

Read 6 tweets

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