Of course, the question is really something more like: What is a good way to keep the rich and powerful in check... except the obvious way of having an educated populace?
Eric On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 03:46 AM, Pieter Steenekamp <[email protected]> wrote: > We know and agree what Facebook's business model is: they do their >utmost to get more and more people to join and then they use all the >private stuff to target very focused adverts. Then there is also a >natural tendency for the rich to become richer (Epstein and Axtell's >"Sugarscape) and more powerful and then to abuse their money and >power. > >My question is: how do you know when this is good or bad for society. >Well, I don't argue that the extreme of this is evil, but where is the >extreme? And further, what is a good way to keep the rich and powerful >in check? Is it good to regulate it, and to what extent do you regulate >it? If we regulate it, how do we prevent the regulations from getting >out of hand and limit our freedom too much? When are regulations >unnecessary and is it good enough to just tell everybody about the >"evil" things they do? > >Pieter > >On 2010/09/26 09:07 PM, Jochen Fromm wrote: >> I admit that's a good point. I don't accuse Facebook of forcing anyone >> to join them, >> it doesn't do this yet. But they try to force users to stay there once >> they have joined. Many users are lured in, or join out of curiosity, >> but Facebook doesn't let them out again. That's evil, >> especially because the high number of users >> is a key element in their advertising strategy. >> >> Another problem is that some data of your friends - photos, videos, or >> information about events - may be inaccessible for you if you don't >> join. Information is no longer freely available on the internet. >> Finally all the buzz generated around Facebook suggests that it is a >> wonderful place. It is not - only if you >> have something to sell. The buzz is generated partly because the media >> itself is involved in it - many journalists and newspapers have an >> account themselves. >> Imagine the language we speak would belong >> to a company. Every 5 years the company would invent a new version of >> the language with plenty of new words, and every time we would >> have to learn the new words and rules (and print new books). The >> language we speak belongs to us. >> Our private life, too. The Facebook operators don't violate privacy >> occasionaly, it is their core business to violate privacy. People >> should be aware of this. >> >> -J. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pieter Steenekamp" >> <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 1:23 PM >> Subject: Re: [FRIAM] You Have 0 Friends [why Facebook is evil] >> >> >> If a grocery store offers to sell you a bread for a dollar, do you >> accuse them of forcing you to give you a dollar? Then why do you >> accuse Facebook of forcing you to do anything? If you don't like it, >> simply don't open an account with them. If you don't buy bread then >> you die, so I would rather accuse the grocery store of forcing me to >> part with my dollar. If you don't open a Facebook account, at least >> you don't die. >> >> Pieter >> >> >> >> ============================================================ >> FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >> Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >> lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >> > >============================================================ >FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv >Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College >lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > Eric Charles Professional Student and Assistant Professor of Psychology Penn State University Altoona, PA 16601
============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
