Social Media & Big Tech news and discussions

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Time_Traveller
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Hive Crosses 1M Downloads: Users Urge Tweeps To Move To 'Best' Twitter Alternative
11/22/22 at 11:34 PM EST

Twitter alternative Hive Social has crossed the 1 million mark in downloads and it seems that the interest in the app has been growing significantly, especially having risen during the weekend when Twitter boss Elon Musk announced the reinstatement of former President Donald Trump.

As of Tuesday, Hive was in the top 20 list of top apps on the U.S. App Store, TechCrunch reported. It has passed the 1 million downloads mark and continues to be a hot topic on Twitter.
https://www.ibtimes.com/hive-crosses-1m ... ve-3639353
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caltrek
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Digital Astroturfing as Corporate Propaganda
by Thomas Klikauer
November 23, 2022

Introduction:
(Counterpunch) We might understand Astroturfing as a right-wing propaganda or a corporate public relation (PR) activity masking the true backers behind a seemingly innocent looking online message or organisation, pretending to be ordinary people engaged in a social activity or protest.

The hidden organization of Digital Astroturfing can be either political (the Republican party, Tea Party, MAGA, etc.); it can be corporate advertising (a corporation); it can be religious (pretending to support a ban on abortion, for example), or it can even be straight forward corporate public relations. The raison d’être of Astroturfing is to make such engagement, protest, and support appear as if it originates from grassroots participants.

Astroturfing also intends to give their statements credibility by withholding information about the true source and – perhaps more importantly – the financial connection into the corporate world. Astroturfing comes from Astroturf – a brand of synthetic carpet resembling natural grass. It is not real but should look real – just like Astroturfing. The implication is that instead of a true and natural grassroots effort, it is fake and artificial.

Astroturfing also seeks to mobilize a sympathetic public creating the image of public consensus where there is none. It is purely a propaganda tool and is often funded by corporations.

On online platforms, Astroturfers use sophisticated software to disguise their corporate identities. In worse cases, a single individual operates through many personalities. This should aid the notion of widespread public support. Yet, in terms of propaganda and public relation, Astroturfing can help to change public viewpoints.
Read more here: https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/11/2 ... opaganda/
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caltrek
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Introduction—Russia: What to Expect Next?
by Dan Drollette
November 9, 2022

Extract:
(Bulletin of Atomic Scientists) Author Brooke Harrington—a sociologist at Dartmouth College—argues that nowadays, the West has some new and unique tools at its command that were not available previously. In this era of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (in addition to the SWIFT electronic banking system and economic sanctions), the West can easily target the ultra-wealthy individuals who inhabit Putin’s inner circle—the oligarchs—with an unheralded and surprisingly effective tool: social stigma. In her essay, “Sanctioning Russia’s oligarchs—with shame,” Harrington argues that the very public nature of the seizing and freezing of the high-profile status symbols of Russian oligarchs, ranging from luxury yachts in the Cayman Islands to expensive villas in Italy—along with other social stigmas such as walkouts by members of the United Nations when the Russian foreign minister began to speak—have helped to begin the shattering of support by Russian elites for Putin’s regime. Social shaming, a tool known since at least Nathaniel Hawthorne’s publication of The Scarlet Letter, could be helping to make the first cracks appear in the brittle power structure that comprises Putin’s autocracy.
Read more here: https://thebulletin.org/premium/2022-1 ... t-heading
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Time_Traveller
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Twitter’s Brussels office closed, sparking legal concerns; Musk poll
November 24, 2022

A new report today says Twitter’s Brussels office closed after all of its staff either resigned or were fired. The development has sparked concerns about whether the company intends to ignore a new law on content moderation.

The prospect seems even more likely after Musk again decided to leave it to his Twitter followers to decide whether virtually all banned accounts should be reinstated …

Background

A new European law was passed last week, known as the Digital Services Act. It places legal obligations on social media companies to address illegal content, disinformation, and hate speech.
https://techtelegraph.co.uk/twitters-br ... musk-poll/
"We all have our time machines, don't we. Those that take us back are memories...And those that carry us forward, are dreams."

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I hope it is soon!
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caltrek
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Musk's Twitter "Amnesty" Plan for Suspended Accounts Alarms Activists
by Rebecca Falconer
Updated November 25, 2022

Introduction:
(Axios) Elon Musk announced Thursday a "general amnesty" for suspended Twitter accounts from next week, "provided that they have not broken the law" or engaged in "egregious spam."

Why it matters: Online monitoring groups have reported a rise in racism, anti-Semitism and other hate speech on Twitter since free speech advocate Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of the social media company last month, though the billionaire said Thursday it has declined.

• Activists warn the situation would get much worse if people like former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke were welcomed back following permanent bans for hate speech.

Driving the news: Musk tweeted his decision after 72.4% of over 3.1 million voters backed the amnesty in an online poll, which AP notes is an unscientific method that's vulnerable to the influence of bots.

• It comes days after Musk reinstated the Twitter accounts of prominent users including former President Trump, who was banned in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, whose page was restricted last month due to antisemitic tweets.
Read more here: https://www.axios.com/2022/11/25/musk- ... activists
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caltrek
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New Twitter Multicolored Verification to Launch Next Week
by Ivan Mehta
November 25, 2022

Introduction:
(TechCrunch) After messing up the first launch of Twitter’s “power to the people” verification system, Elon Musk said that the social network will tentatively roll out a new multicolored verification system next week.

The owner of Twitter said that, under this scheme, companies will get a gold checkmark, government officials will get a grey checkmark — probably similar to the “official” checkmark it’s currently trying out with some prominent accounts — and the blue checkmark will be dedicated to individuals even if they are not celebrities. That would mean that the blue check mark will be used with legacy verified accounts and folks who buy Twitter’s new $8 per month paid plan.

Musk added that the company aims to manually authenticate all verifications before the new verification system goes live. It’s not clear what he means by that as Twitter Blue subscribers will get a blue checkmark. Not only that, but Twitter’s reduced workforce will be under pressure to check every verification manually to avoid any impersonation or spam.

(See linked article for Twitter feeds).

Musk further explained that individuals can have a second tiny logo to note if they are part of a certain organization. That organization also has to verify that the individual represents them or works with them in some way. He added that decision to apply blue checkmark to all individual accounts was taken as notability of a person is a subjective matter.

Earlier this month, Musk paused the revamped Twitter Blue program and said it would resume on November 29. However, this week, the Tesla CEO put this plan on hold until “there is a high level of stopping impersonation.” Notably, this was the first time he talked about using multiple colors for verification.
Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/25/elon ... ext-week/
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caltrek
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Time_Traveller wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 5:28 pm Twitter’s Brussels office closed, sparking legal concerns; Musk poll
November 24, 2022

A new report today says Twitter’s Brussels office closed after all of its staff either resigned or were fired. The development has sparked concerns about whether the company intends to ignore a new law on content moderation.

The prospect seems even more likely after Musk again decided to leave it to his Twitter followers to decide whether virtually all banned accounts should be reinstated …

Background

A new European law was passed last week, known as the Digital Services Act. It places legal obligations on social media companies to address illegal content, disinformation, and hate speech.
https://techtelegraph.co.uk/twitters-br ... musk-poll/
More on that:

Twitter Layoffs Trigger Oversight Risk Warning from Brussels
by Natasha Lomas
November 24, 2022

Introduction:
(TechCrunch) In another move that’s being frowned upon by European Union regulators, Elon Musk-owned Twitter has closed its Brussels office per a report in the Financial Times — citing sources with knowledge of the departures.

Staffers in the office were focused on European Union digital policy, working in close proximity to the seat of power of EU’s executive, the European Commission — an entity with an ongoing role in EU lawmaking. The Commission will also soon take on a major new oversight role for the bloc’s updated digital rulebook, the Digital Services Act (DSA).

Given the obviously strategic function of the Brussels office, its termination could be interpreted as either a major strategic blunder by Musk, if he’s failed to understand the importance of having an policy presence at the heart of the EU to influence lawmakers and law enforcers — or a very obvious (and intentional) snub to the bloc and its regulations that signals bad news ahead for Twitter’s compliance with regional laws.

Either way, the Commission does not appear to be taking the development lying down.

In fresh remarks today, following the latest Twitter layoff revelations — and following a visit by an EU commissioner to Twitter’s Dublin office (which does, for now, still exist) — the EU’s executive has given the clearest indication yet that it could appoint itself as overseer of the bird site’s compliance with the incoming DSA.
Read more here: https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/24/elon ... -warning/
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caltrek
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Re: Social Media & Big Tech news and discussions

Post by caltrek »

These "polls" of Musk's doing are an instance of applying democratic processes to destroy democracy. For democracy to mean anything, the rights of minorities must be respected. Otherwise, such "democracies" quickly devolve into rule by a few and then by one person. That it is Musk that has full control over the polling process makes that process even less democratic.

If posting rights of past policy violators are to be restored, they at least should be accompanied with warnings regarding the need to comply with minimal standards of decency and with some regard for the truth. Otherwise, permission is given to the mob to bully whoever they wish for whatever reason they wish. Such bullying to include fabrication of lies in order to damage the reputation of intended targets.

As an enabling agent, Twitter should be held partly responsible for such excesses. Provisions to lessen such liability should be granted only if good faith efforts are made to moderate public postings. Regardless of "poll results."
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Time_Traveller
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Post by Time_Traveller »

Several anti-facist/pro-LGBTQ+ accounts have been suspended by Musk by pro-facist accounts including Vishal P. Singhx Chadloder and the Colorado Springs Anti-Facists, never trust Musk and his Truth Social 2.0 minions. (Via Mastodon)
"We all have our time machines, don't we. Those that take us back are memories...And those that carry us forward, are dreams."

-H.G Wells.
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