The Donald vs Big Tech

[Caomhaoin]

Speaking of ostentatious waffle, the full transcript of Trump's over one hour speech in Washington on the 6th is readily found online. The opening and closing paragraphs are of interest. The middle thousand are just repeating the multiple, each more unfounded than the last, claims of voter fraud.

The WSJ editorial isn't surprising, but it is of interest to have a hardline conservative critical take on what happened, just like it was of interest to have a progressive critical take on big tech power abuses.

The NYT article is succinct and relatively crisp which is surprising. I hadn't really considered the considerable outside pressure on the tech companies.

[Ollkiller]

Just read it there. A good article indeed.

[pete]

"No serious thinker believes that Twitter and Facebook, as private companies, are obligated to give any user a platform, just as no one doubts that a restaurant owner can boot an unruly diner for causing a scene. But there are legitimate questions about whether a small handful of unelected tech executives, accountable only to their boards and shareholders (and, in Mr. Zuckerberg's case, to neither) should wield such enormous power. "

I agree with this but it's interesting that it's becoming an issue now it doesn't suit people who have had enormous power for decades. Is it just that Big Tech don't go to the same parties as the old guard?

[astfgyl]

"No serious thinker believes that Twitter and Facebook, as private companies, are obligated to give any user a platform, just as no one doubts that a restaurant owner can boot an unruly diner for causing a scene. But there are legitimate questions about whether a small handful of unelected tech executives, accountable only to their boards and shareholders (and, in Mr. Zuckerberg's case, to neither) should wield such enormous power. "

I agree with this but it's interesting that it's becoming an issue now it doesn't suit people who have had enormous power for decades. Is it just that Big Tech don't go to the same parties as the old guard?

The simple answer is that they have gotten too big for their boots and in some ways they have the whole world by the short and curlies. It's probably too late for much to be done about it. Like even if there was a grassroots/astroturfing campaign to get us all out of their clutches, it would be difficult to do without using them. Leaving the whole for/against Trump out of it, the situation has certainly highlighted how much power these few wield and it's rather creepy. Basically all of 2020 wouldn't have been possible without them.

Weird and sad times we live in. Or Interesting Times maybe.

Edit: here's a tweet from Gab.com

We are getting resumes from senior level employees at Big Tech companies.

Hearing that many people are putting in their two weeks too. Internal civil war among staff and executives.

Panic in Silicon Valley.

The house of cards falls.

The exodus has begun.

Wonder what that's all about?

[pete]

"No serious thinker believes that Twitter and Facebook, as private companies, are obligated to give any user a platform, just as no one doubts that a restaurant owner can boot an unruly diner for causing a scene. But there are legitimate questions about whether a small handful of unelected tech executives, accountable only to their boards and shareholders (and, in Mr. Zuckerberg's case, to neither) should wield such enormous power. "

I agree with this but it's interesting that it's becoming an issue now it doesn't suit people who have had enormous power for decades. Is it just that Big Tech don't go to the same parties as the old guard?

The simple answer is that they have gotten too big for their boots and in some ways they have the whole world by the short and curlies. It's probably too late for much to be done about it. Like even if there was a grassroots/astroturfing campaign to get us all out of their clutches, it would be difficult to do without using them. Leaving the whole for/against Trump out of it, the situation has certainly highlighted how much power these few wield and it's rather creepy. Basically all of 2020 wouldn't have been possible without them.

Weird and sad times we live in. Or Interesting Times maybe.

Yeah fair enough but suppose I just feel it has always been the case. Trump and his buddies like Roger Ailes always had too much power. Trump should be showing Dorsey as the perfect embodiment of the American dream haha.


Carlos Slim the largest single shareholder in the New York Times Company, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Slim
"His conglomerate includes education, health care, industrial manufacturing, transportation, real estate, media, energy, hospitality, entertainment, high-technology, retail, sports and financial services.[2][3][7][8] He accounts for 40% of the listings on the Mexican Stock Exchange,[7] while his net worth is equivalent to about 6 percent of Mexico's gross domestic product"

[astfgyl]

You're right it has always been the case, it just wasn't as obvious or highlighted. I guess that someone has to own the news and that is always going to lead to bias in one direction or another. Some of them are just better at making it look like they are balanced than others. I might have been living under a rock, but I've never heard of Carlos Slim and look at what he's been tipping away at. Makes me wonder who else is operating at the fringes of the public eye that I've never heard of. Is there a sort of Battle of the Billionaires going on here with the more traditional sources feeling now could be a good time to pull the rug from under the social media platforms with some well timed op-ed pieces and try grab back a bit of that sweet market share?

As much as I feel he was out of his depth simply running for president, I have to feel a bit sorry for Biden coming in, given the awful mess he is about to inherit. US has been divided for a long time and these moves to streamline public opinion through censorship will surely only deepen the divide. Hope we don't ever end up like that in this country, as bad as it is.

[Caomhaoin]

Jonathan Pie has his take. He has a point.

https://youtu.be/nO7paBcllck

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

You only enjoyed that because he used the expression "moving the goalposts", didn't you? 

[Caomhaoin]

Contributing factor, absolutely!

[Pedrito]

Bill Burr hit the nail on the head with this. Everyone else can fuck off.

https://youtu.be/Oco1z45o0Vs

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Go get 'em Bill!

[Ollkiller]

Jonathan Pie has his take. He has a point.

https://youtu.be/nO7paBcllck

Aye he has good takes on most things. Twitter itself is a fucking stain on humanity. An absolute cesspit.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

It is. But it's also somewhere you find things like this: Footage of various militia, including Oathkeepers, slipping in relatively unseen on the day, behind the cover of the circus figures:
https://twitter.com/jsrailton/status/1348115530654347266

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Don't know what to make of this:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210106072816/https://pafa2021.com/how%2C-when%2C-where

The Assembly

The initial assembly of patriots will be at the steps of the Capitol building in Washington DC, and will continue to build over the course of Saturday January 16, and, Sunday January 17, 2021.  There should be a state flag, and American flag, present for each state so patriots can gather with other patriots from their home states. If multiple flags are displayed for a state, each group should walk towards each other to become one group for that state.  We will gather for 2 hours each day starting at 12:00 noon so that numbers can be assessed. If at 2:00 on Sunday 1/17 it is becomes obvious that the will to fight for America against democrat tyranny is not strong enough for the turnout to be effective, the PAFA2021 will be declared a lost cause and Joseph Biden will be allowed to be inaugurated.

It reads like a grassroots mobilization for a coup, but I don't know to what extent there is support for this, or whether in reality it's not significantly more crackpots than invaded on the 6th. I guess we'll find out!

[astfgyl]

It will surely come to nothing on the day, much like the last try. Be interesting to see all the same.