Long but worthwhile. Seems like a tragedy of the commons problem. Interesting that the traditional answer to that - regulation - isn't very prominent in the general chat about this. Clearly a hard regulatory problem, but it seems more plausible than expecting the market to sort this out. - ThreadSky

stevensenior.bsky.social • 14 days ago

Long but worthwhile.

Seems like a tragedy of the commons problem. Interesting that the traditional answer to that - regulation - isn't very prominent in the general chat about this. Clearly a hard regulatory problem, but it seems more plausible than expecting the market to sort this out.

Reposted from Janine Gibson

You will like this Blue Sky, Jacob Silverman's stark essay about the oozing AI slop which is filling a dead internet and smothering all other signs of life. on.ft.com/42zYvxQ

Comments

brooklynkid53bskys.bsky.social•14 days ago

99% of the posts about AI are about how AI is a scam on the order of Crypto

99% of the conversations I have with people in the physical real world are about how AI is, today, helping them do their jobs

and that ratio is wrong, and says a lot about social media

stevensenior.bsky.social•14 days ago

About a decade ago I was chatting to a friend from my days in the lab. He'd gone on to work for McKinsey. We were talking about Facebook and network effects that make it a natural monopoly. I asked what he thought the answer to that is. His answer was "regulate the shit out of it.".

idb-yorks.bsky.social•14 days ago

Treat it like a conventional publisher. Enmesh it in so many legal cases of such complexity they cannot respond, no mater how deep their pockets. Make it responsible at all levels for the dross that surfaces on its platform.

stevensenior.bsky.social•14 days ago

Yeah, the EU might want to revisit the 'mere conduit' provisions in the digital services act that exempts social media platforms for responsibility for content. I think the US equivalent is section 230 of the communications act.

stevensenior.bsky.social•14 days ago

Crediting @profgalloway.com on Pivot for this one. His point is: if your algorithm is promoting it, then you're responsible for it.

idb-yorks.bsky.social•14 days ago

Fair. It's one thing to argue that you cannot realistically have an overview of what such a large user base does. if you push certain items, that shifts the onus. There's probably also a case to be made in terms of trust - how reliable & accountable is that base? Shops have terms for selling knives.

thinkingsapien.bsky.social•14 days ago

Keep in mind that in the USA, we get equal treatment under the law. Any change in law to make FB more vulnerable would make many entities more vulnerable. Also, some states will penalize a plantiff for vexatious litigation, possibly making them pay all legal fees.

thinkingsapien.bsky.social•14 days ago

In some countries, the way they avoid vexatious is the entity that loses pays the fees. That makes it risky to bring unjustified litigation or weak cases.

idb-yorks.bsky.social•14 days ago

Which works to avoid the courts being clogged up.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply