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Discussion on: This Facebook Security Breach was "Intended Functionality"

 
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Michael MacTaggert

1a) I agree network effects are a consideration, but they are not the only consideration. It's definitely not all or nothing. Look at reddit, which organizes people into many fiefdoms each with their own network. Facebook's choice to be a global "community" 🤢 has proven itself resistant to moderation, but it's not the only viable model. I mean, look at how MySpace pivoting to musicians.
1b) If addictive tendencies are implicated by an app, then that's usually something to mitigate. The Time Well Spent group talks a lot about this and I'm pretty sure that kind of sentiment is behind all the app usagr tracking in new iPhones.
2) This kind of thinking descends from the idea of "freedom of contract", which was specifically created to justify actually, verifiably corrupt corporations and trusts manipulating markets and public opinion to suit laws to their own purpose. The reason they had to create a separate ideology for it is because regulation was working and they had to break up companies like Standard Oil. I suggest reading about the history of that phrase, and "We the Corporations" is a great book on that.