Before Zuckerberg's first hearing in the Senate today, some comments on his prepared testimony.
It is critical that Senators and Representatives use these hearings to ask questions that will gain info to shape solutions (such as those attached here) /1
It is critical that Senators and Representatives use these hearings to ask questions that will gain info to shape solutions (such as those attached here) /1
On his prepared statement:
- it is overly focused on Kogan/Cambridge Analytica as malign actors and not on the widespread use of data-harvesting enabled by the platform.
So: Who does Facebook still authorize to act in this way? /2
- it is overly focused on Kogan/Cambridge Analytica as malign actors and not on the widespread use of data-harvesting enabled by the platform.
So: Who does Facebook still authorize to act in this way? /2
- a reminder that @carolecadwalla's reporting has relentlessly tried to expose what is happening. And she's been threatened with defamation suits by just about every company involved. /2
- the fact is, Facebook knew not just during 2016 election cycle that data scraped from their US users was being used to target them with manipulative political content -- they also knew that this was done by Cambridge Analytica in the 2014 US elections. And did/said nothing. /4
- it's nice Facebook will 'audit' past data harvesting by third parties. But they also need to explain how Facebook itself collects, scores, and makes available user data to its 'clients' (who are not its users, who are they product being sold) /5
- want to highlight: Facebook was watching Russian activity DURING 2016 elex. What else did they see that they haven't disclosed?
Note here: they knew RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE was using fake FB profiles to TARGET JOURNALISTS with information, significantly amplifying this disinfo /6
Note here: they knew RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE was using fake FB profiles to TARGET JOURNALISTS with information, significantly amplifying this disinfo /6
- "some of these [Russian] bad actors used our ad tools" -- Did any Facebook employees support these efforts?
Beyond ads, what were the tools/tactics? Why has Facebook not released all this data/content for research/evaluation? /7
Beyond ads, what were the tools/tactics? Why has Facebook not released all this data/content for research/evaluation? /7
- want to highlight here: these are positive steps.
More important:
"Russian news organizations that we determined were controlled by the IRA."
Uhh. What organizations? There's a war in Ukraine in which Russian disinfo is a primary weapon. /8
More important:
"Russian news organizations that we determined were controlled by the IRA."
Uhh. What organizations? There's a war in Ukraine in which Russian disinfo is a primary weapon. /8
- also, it's time to revisit this Macedonia issue. Seriously. /9
- it's great that Facebook will do more to verify advertisers in politics. What about all the computational propaganda that has nothing to do with ads? /10
- note here: "sophisticated adversaries"
Just leaving it here for next round of dismissive "hybrid warfare isn't effective" bloviation /11
Just leaving it here for next round of dismissive "hybrid warfare isn't effective" bloviation /11
Some top questions to ask here.
Facebook is one of the most innovative companies in the history of this country. They need to be forward leaning in addressing computational propaganda & promoting cognitive/psychological resistance to disinfo /12
Facebook is one of the most innovative companies in the history of this country. They need to be forward leaning in addressing computational propaganda & promoting cognitive/psychological resistance to disinfo /12
