Thread by @StephenPunwasi

Been a minute. What’s new with me?

Not much, but I’m in the middle of a fun dispute with @Facebook.

So here’s a quick thread on how social media shapes society, and unlike most platforms — Facebook is actually dangerous for democracy.

<thread> 🧵👇

2/ First, let’s talk about dopamine, likes, and how social media shapes your behavior.

Dopamine is how your brain rewards you for behavior it likes. Note, I said “it likes,” not what’s good for you.

The goal is to get you hooked on repeating that behavior.

3/ All humans crave social approval.

Social media makes that easier than ever. Make a post people like, they’ll favorite it.

The platform (or publisher) then sends you a push notification, along with a fresh hit of dopamine.

This isn’t an accident. It’s engineered this way.

4/ What happens if you post something people don’t like?

You spend time making a post, and … nothing. No likes, no dopamine — nothing.

This is called a “reward prediction error” in humans. Ever build up plans for an epic night, and then it’s meh? Not bad, but just whatever?

5/ Same thing. But the more you use social media, the more important that reward prediction error becomes.

As you pursue less meaningful dopamine hits, they become more important.

So what do you do? You delete your bad take, and share something that will be better received.

6/ Your brain will try to engineer you into a more performative approach to life, for that dopamine.

It will try and push you to adopt popular opinions, instead of exploring your own.

This is the same as peer pressure, and isn’t necessarily bad. It’s existed forever.

7/ BUT this is where Facebook is different from other social media platforms.

On Twitter, the rules are pretty simple — no hate speech, scams, or harassment.

They might shadow ban you if they don’t like you, but that’s it.

Not Facebook.

8/ Facebook created a whole pseudo-judicial process that isn’t real.

They subcontract moderation to independent companies, where a company you’ve never heard of moderates your content.

Who works at these places? Who knows. They get $15/hr, and the ability to determine truth.

9/ This brings me to my issue. My company published a 1 min video post of a mainstream media journalist who’s in the crosshairs of China.

In it, he discusses a situation presented in Canada’s (BC) money laundering inquiry.

Not particularly controversial, and covered in MSM.

10/ Facebook didn’t pull the post. It deleted my account, which was attached to the @BetterDwelling page. They then booted all page managers.

Surely this has to be a mistake, right? How is discussion of the BC money laundering inquiry against the terms of service?

11/ It’s fine, I heard they have an appeal process.

So I upload my Passport, as per the request of the world’s largest data harvesting company. Says I should get a response on the 22nd (also my b-day? Yay!).

No response. From forum posts, it looks like they never respond.

12/ That’s fine. They testified they have an oversight board if appeals are disputed.

If some rando decides to wipe me off the platform (insta + oculus too) for a post that wasn’t offensive enough to ask me to delete, I can appeal.

The board only reviews bad PR, it appears.

13/ Facebook isn’t shaping opinions via peers. Rando mods do.

FB promised high profile politicians (that will never deal with this problem) it has a process. It doesn’t.

Back to dopamine. Your hits on FB are now pre-selected by people that frankly aren’t all that smart.

14/ In this case, I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of capital on money laundering research in Canada, and communicating the issue.

After a huge struggle from a small group of people in the #VanRe community, it’s finally acknowledged to be a problem.

The Fed even agreed.

15/ But nope. A subcontractor determined it’s lie, with their expert knowledge and lack of bathroom breaks.

Actually, it wasn’t just a lie. It was the worst lie possible, warranting no ability to use the platform. One time, no warning.

Want your dopamine? Follow FB’s narrative.

16/ The money laundering issue can only be discussed by those with a platform large enough to cause a PR issue for Facebook.

Anyone else? Go fuck yourself.

We actually lost a good employee last week, because they were worried about being nuked from social media.

17/ Now I firmly believe that private companies have a right to self-governance. If it wants to make arbitrary decisions about content, go nuts.

However, that makes them a publisher, not a platform.

By claiming they’re a platform, they receive generous legal protections.

18/ But a platform has clear terms of service, not selective.

By selectively enforcing them, a billionaire is running a media company to promote a message, but claiming exemption from any consequences.

19/ Can you imagine CNN or Fox with no consequences, and claiming the broadcast of specific interviewees or hosts is in no way their legal responsibility? Zero fucking way.

TL;DR Facebook should be broken up and regulated, because they’re a manipulative media monopoly.

And yes, I know I can discreetly sidestep this issue by leveraging connections to get an executive to nudge someone to review it.

I don’t want to.

This issue isn’t about me. It’s the scale of manipulation they’re using, and lying to politicians about how it works.

Also, if you're curious what the video was — it was this 1-minute clip with Sam Cooper.

The 50-year old publishing company that published his book also coincidentally lost their twitter accounts for a few days because of a "misunderstanding" too. 🙄

https://twitter.com/BetterDwelling/status/1450273509033316358?s=20

I'm just saying... if I was in charge of a digital army, I wouldn't hack Facebook.

I would make my spies get jobs moderating content, and have them shape opinions. Virtually no vetting, low paid, and outside contractors.

I would be a very cost-effective military leader. 😬😂

Just talked to Sam Cooper, and he had some interesting insights on Facebook's journalist program.

Unfortunately, I can't share them publicly (yet), but let's just say he deleted his account before the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

OH, COME ON!

Now Facebook is trying to poach one of my employees? 😤😂

Employee just forwarded this email, where Facebook lies about previously discussing careers opportunities with them.