tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post1898335343076392995..comments2024-03-28T03:16:14.104-04:00Comments on Noahpinion: Is Twitter a dystopian technology?Noah Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09093917601641588575noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-49058169547498787102016-12-18T03:29:13.295-05:002016-12-18T03:29:13.295-05:00Why can't we regulate internet communication b...Why can't we regulate internet communication but retain the free speech we had in 1990?<br /><br />Freedom of speech would still exist if the internet disappeared tomorrow.<br /><br />We regulate access to TV broadcasting licenses, to radio. Why not regulate the right to post information on the web where anyone can see it with a Google search?<br /><br />Why should anti-vaxxers be able to multiply the number of kids they make sick using technology which can only operate with social consent?<br /><br />I don't think a hand wave about free speech is really a good enough answer. We are talking not about free speech, but about broadcasting rights. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-47542490013673582992016-12-17T22:03:23.928-05:002016-12-17T22:03:23.928-05:00Just as unregulated "free" markets destr...Just as unregulated "free" markets destroy themselves in monopolies, unregulated social media destroy themselves in chaos. In pre-internet times, paper media were self-limiting by the cost of owning a printing press, the tedium of typesetting, and the costs of paper, ink, and distribution, and electronic media by the cost of TV/radio production facilities and limited broadcast coverage areas, and those limits created a fairly high quality/cost threshold. Those limits are all gone now, so artificial limits are required in order to obtain continued survival. <br /><br />Facebook et al. have begun to institute things like enhanced moderation and fake news suppression, but due to its founders' misguided ideals, Twitter is probably going to be among the last to raise its game to the needed level. It may well end up like Yahoo comments or 4chan, a wretched hive of scum and villainy that is so popular that nobody goes there any more -- "nobody" being paying advertisers.<br /><br />China has had an obsession with civil order since Confucian times, and has the vast manpower to impose that order on its internal internet -- Sina Weibo is in no danger from Twitter's troubles. I don't know if America has the creativity or discipline needed to keep the instability within the bounds needed to avoid catastrophe. Our Bully Pulpiteer certainly doesn't have that discipline, but the forces against net neutrality may actually create barriers to entry that keep the most volatile forums out of the mainstream, Breitbart notwithstanding.<br /><br />On the other hand, this conventional wisdom could be totally wrong, and social media actually reduce polarization. But my mind is made up, and I don't want to be confused by empirical facts like the ones in this paper: http://pablobarbera.com/static/barbera_polarization_APSA.pdfGeorge McKeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17776230134829403415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-77735330178254615512016-12-14T14:25:22.122-05:002016-12-14T14:25:22.122-05:00In many ways, Twitter is the CB radio of this gene...In many ways, Twitter is the CB radio of this generation. Whoever has the most powerful platform can use it to lecture, insult, and shout down opposition, (regardless of whether either party is well-informed.) <br /><br />The next-level abuse of Twitter will be the "Henry II" variety, where the powerful tweet out the names of people who are troublesome, and followers set out to rid the world of them in the manner of Thomas Becket. <br /><br />Trump followers have not yet taken it to the "St. Thomas of Canterbury" level, but there have been many colorful threats to do exactly that. Can we say right now that no one will ever act out those threats?Hardisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01871916076704763849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-36795451401440311162016-12-14T11:00:39.312-05:002016-12-14T11:00:39.312-05:00Noah, you used way more than 140 characters in you...Noah, you used way more than 140 characters in your Twitter explanation! I've never signed up for Twitter as it appears to be yet another app that can suck the time out of the day (much the same way that Panda Pop does) and one gets preoccupied with Tweets. I read Tweets passively when they are part of a mainstream news story or a blog such as yours. I don't feel that I am missing anything.<br /><br />I would add one final note, given the President-Elect has cancelled (rescheduled???) yet another news conference yet continues to Tweet. It's likely that the only news about President Trump will come from Twitter as it's increasingly unlikely that he will respond to the mainstream press.Alan Goldhammerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07409822556590754421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-45838769336384132862016-12-12T12:39:40.952-05:002016-12-12T12:39:40.952-05:00I resent this! I was raised on Sesame Street (in t...I resent this! I was raised on Sesame Street (in the 1970's, so the original cast), and I'm all about long term focus, I read actual books, and find Twitter aggravating and panic-attack-inducing. I urge you, sir, to withdraw your calumny against Sesame Street.Rich Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11768615623375545324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-22316287610654673122016-12-12T09:59:17.376-05:002016-12-12T09:59:17.376-05:00PK is a perfect example of what Our Host is saying...PK is a perfect example of what Our Host is saying. He had a million followers on Twitter before he'd ever tweeted a word. If you're a public intellectual, how do you pass up an audience that big?Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572777569221103038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-88253677628691723732016-12-12T07:32:49.429-05:002016-12-12T07:32:49.429-05:00What you describe are the downsides of a networked...What you describe are the downsides of a networked society: in a village society you have to get along (more or less) with everyone because you may need them tomorrow; in a network everyone is free to engage only with people who agree with them, thus creating endless self-reinforcing loops leading to greater and greater polarization. So we have a tool that reinforces these tendencies AS WELL AS supporting, to some extent, the positive sides of networking. Sure it could be improved - Good points, Sarah. Marilyn*https://www.blogger.com/profile/12036772261108648868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-77229579341337428962016-12-10T16:37:03.797-05:002016-12-10T16:37:03.797-05:00"Each person, in order to feel emotionally sa..."Each person, in order to feel emotionally safe from the constant attacks that he feels like he's getting on Twitter, might be pushed to join an ideological group [...]"<br /><br />Why not just ignore it? If people are saying nasty things about you on Twitter, walk away and spend the time on something more useful. It's not as if Twitter were food or oxygen, something you can't survive without.Jocelynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14698682321877616962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-68473573690403156952016-12-10T13:47:58.092-05:002016-12-10T13:47:58.092-05:00Why I don't have a twitter account, why I don&...Why I don't have a twitter account, why I don't follow anyone on twitter, why I avoid twitter as much as possible...Don Coffinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07198988872512792834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-50291526387951119632016-12-10T12:08:17.641-05:002016-12-10T12:08:17.641-05:00The rationale for the U.S. and Russia to have thou...The rationale for the U.S. and Russia to have thousands of ICBM nukes on hair trigger alert isn't to deter war in general, it's to deter nuclear war. So no, nukes are not making us safer.<br /><br />(Not that "civilization" is at any serious risk. It's based on written information, which can't be destroyed as easily as people and buildings).<br />Maxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-88909973760851148262016-12-10T08:15:37.055-05:002016-12-10T08:15:37.055-05:00Twitter is perfect for the Sesame Street raised in...Twitter is perfect for the Sesame Street raised individuals. A subject change lacking substance every 30 seconds.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11386125388118386199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-13357189736143894782016-12-10T08:15:00.350-05:002016-12-10T08:15:00.350-05:00"Twitter is a great tool, and creates lots of..."Twitter is a great tool, and creates lots of social value" I think you should provide some evidence for that statement.<br /><br />Counter-evidence: Krugman used to write about three times as many interesting little blog posts a week. His tweets don't have nearly the same value.csimmonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06029023149384608409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-58756332793084362752016-12-09T16:40:51.589-05:002016-12-09T16:40:51.589-05:00I think Twitter is exposing the existing rift but ...I think Twitter is exposing the existing rift but not causing it.bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05280209182671727081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-84697003851770610072016-12-09T15:28:24.573-05:002016-12-09T15:28:24.573-05:00"And this is a product we know makes money......"And this is a product we know makes money..."<br /><br />No actually we know it doesn't. http://www.nasdaq.com/symbol/twtr/financials?query=income-statementDr. Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04873738031474489292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-77778666644444703342016-12-09T14:12:45.594-05:002016-12-09T14:12:45.594-05:00Best idea I have heard in a long time. Like a $10...Best idea I have heard in a long time. Like a $10 figure better.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11331306917989056226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-53758572051853495792016-12-09T13:21:02.600-05:002016-12-09T13:21:02.600-05:002 and 3 seem easy to fix. Quote retweets could aut...2 and 3 seem easy to fix. Quote retweets could automatically be included as replies to the original thread, and more nuanced privacy options would not be difficult to implement. <br /><br />1 is the magic of the medium, I wouldn't mess with it, though I do think Trump has caused enough trouble to deserve his account locked! <br /><br />And I have no good ideas for fighting polarization yet, but better privacy controls could limit the scope of the flame wars. Sarahhttp://twitter.com/asthesparksflynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-10137127505375329402016-12-09T11:03:55.137-05:002016-12-09T11:03:55.137-05:00$5 tax per tweet. Solves the polarization problem...$5 tax per tweet. Solves the polarization problem and the deficit simultaneously.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11477255839758482542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-67905409575716737462016-12-09T10:32:56.883-05:002016-12-09T10:32:56.883-05:00Agree about twitter needing to evolve.
Or I as pu...Agree about twitter needing to evolve.<br /><br />Or I as put same thing (somewhat sardonically) a few days ago on twitter:<br />http://twitter.com/ntaylor963/status/806728178207059969<br /><br />Fermi Paradox Stages<br />1. unicellular life<br />2. complex life<br />3. social animals<br />4. tools<br />5. invent twitter and fake news: self-destruct<br />*extinct*Nathan Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16464842857429695701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-43140832259923531702016-12-09T07:58:46.756-05:002016-12-09T07:58:46.756-05:00The Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory is a critical ...The Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory is a critical insight into our society that I invoke on a regular basis! rosebriarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02229537505859471832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17232051.post-16841302177356611422016-12-09T03:15:01.225-05:002016-12-09T03:15:01.225-05:00The easiest way to fix Twitter would be for it to ...The easiest way to fix Twitter would be for it to take on some Facebook-style attributes, with lots of tools for curating follower counts and your interaction. Just being able to mute hashtags, for example, has been great - and Twitter does let you effectively create "private" communities on the site with protected accounts. <br /><br /><em>Not coincidentally, during this millennium (usually called the Middle Ages), human wealth and development didn't advance very much. </em><br /><br />Minor nitpick, but that's a myth. Bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05741738070067590221noreply@blogger.com