Thread by @BNonnecke

I'm going to take a crack at live tweeting @yaleisp's panel 2 on academic perspective of the #FacebookFiles. If you want to tune in, register at law.yale.edu/isp/events/fac…

We're joined by @jackbalkin @persily @davidakaye @ZephyrTeachout, moderated by @nikenberger

@yaleisp @jackbalkin @persily @davidakaye @ZephyrTeachout @nikenberger @ZephyrTeachout raising the point that concentration of power in platforms is antithetical to ideals of a democracy. "We've never had gatekeepers at this scale." Complete vertical integration...

When asked if @Facebook has "gone off the rails", @davidakaye replies, "there have been no 'legal' rails!"

Since ~2016, it became apparent platforms have a dramatic effect on democracy. They are driven by a desire for growth & this is often in conflict w/ democratic goals.

.@ZephyrTeachout pointing out bipartisan public support to deal with massive concentrations of power in big tech. Uff. The biggest blocker to progress: lobbyists.

💰 💰 Quick reminder that @Facebook spent ~$20M in 2020 on lobbying: statista.com/statistics/103…

.@persily speaks to my ❤️! We need to recognize that we often do not know what is actually happening on platforms! This is due in large part to a lack of researchers' access to platform data to support transparency & accountability. Legislation needed: dropbox.com/s/5my9r1t9ifeb…

@persily Yes, @davidakaye! Pointing out the UN Guiding Principles & need for human rights impacts assessments (HRIA) on platforms: ohchr.org/documents/publ….

Check out @latonero & Aaina Agarwal's evaluation of @Facebook's HRIA on its role in Myanmar: carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/publications/h… @CarrCenter

.@persily shared his co-edited *OPEN ACCESS* book w/ @j_a_tucker on social media & democracy: cambridge.org/core/services/….

I recommend Chapter 13, which beautifully outlines the challenges w/ the @Facebook / Social Science One collab & necessary next steps.

@persily @j_a_tucker @Facebook Hear, hear! "Platforms should take their users' interests into account just as much as their advertisers' interests into account." @jackbalkin

.@ZephyrTeachout going deeper into @jackbalkin's points on harms, raising point about disproportionate harms for vulnerable communities.

Rather than having Congress engage directly w/ Mark Zuckerberg, we need more investigation.

@ZephyrTeachout @jackbalkin Oooh... My telecom policy PhD is coming into play now as discussion moves to "common carrier" designation.

Surprisingly #Section230 hasn't really come up yet (wonder if @jkosseff's ears finally aren't ringing for a few mins ;)

& now #Section230 is raised 😀 . @persily points out that there are other mechanisms outside of S230 reform that will be effective, like antitrust approach put forward by @ZephyrTeachout.

.@davidakaye points out asymmetry of info. Researchers have had a terrible time accessing data from the platforms, esp. @facebook. Provides support for @persily's draft legislation & EU Digital Services Act.*

*I have a piece under review on this issue! Can't wait to share!

@davidakaye @Facebook @persily .@davidakaye cautions that we need to be careful to not adopt rules that inadvertently enforce the power of the platforms. This is a problem that is surfacing in Germany.

.@ZephyrTeachout pointing out that reforming #Section230 is one part of a potential solution.

Provides an ice metaphor on liability:

Cleaning sidewalk, someone falls, you could be liable.

Facebook has opened the fire hydrant in the dead of winter.

Only a small % of @Facebook users are in the US, but the laws/regulations adopted in the US will likely have global effect.

Compelling question from @davidakaye: How might separation of @Facebook's services (@WhatsApp) & funding mechanisms affect availability for global users?

.@WhatsApp has been able to profit off of @Facebook's business model, subsidizing its use for many. @persily points out that we should make sure any legislation does not inadvertently harm access for those who need it most.

@WhatsApp @Facebook @persily .@davidakaye emphasizing that anonymity is important for activists & other marginalized people.

I'm flagging that @jkosseff is releasing a book soon on anonymity: cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/978150176…

.@ZephyrTeachout calling out that we have antitrust & corporate law against dangerous business practices (e.g., multi-level marketing, Here's looking at you, #LuLaRich, @LuLaRoe! 😛).

Main point: We have many legal tools that can be used to change @facebook's behavior.

@ZephyrTeachout @LuLaRoe @Facebook .@persily pointing out that @FrancesHaugen's testimony showed that tweaking of @Facebook's algorithms have harmful effects & they didn't act appropriately.

Hear, hear!! "No man/woman is the 'minister of truth' in our society." - @ZephyrTeachout

@ZephyrTeachout & that wraps it up! Such an insightful panel! 👏 👏 👏