Shortly after the election of 2016, CEO Mark Zuckerberg maligned anyone who dared suggest that Facebook played any major role in the presidential election, "Personally, I think the idea that fake news on Facebook -- of which it's a small amount of content -- influenced the election in any way is a pretty crazy idea." The Facebook tycoon made this assertion with certainty, clarity, and arrogance. Fast forward two years later and Mr. Zuckerberg is scratching his head along with Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. Ms. Sandberg is attributing the failed self-policing of the mega social media giant to ‘bad actors’ and Zuckerberg is all but flailing his arms and throwing himself on the mercy of the tech court. I might buy some of this duos act were it not for the millions of rubles paid to Facebook and its working relationship with Cambridge Analytica. University of Cambridge professor Aleksandr Kogan appears to be the literal mastermind that propelled Facebook’s complicity in the election manipulation.
Kogan’s personality app is being investigated as the key to how 50 million personal data profiles were amassed and given or sold to Cambridge Analytica, a firm associated with Steve Bannon. These admittedly and self-professed brilliant men are now all claiming their participation was the result of being duped. Zuckerberg saw FB’s market capitalization drop 50 billion dollars in four days and the mea culpa fell from his lips like SATA from heaven. Zuckerberg is known for not being known. Although, one of the most famous men in the world he rarely makes public appearances. When he does it is generally to tell us how much smarter he is than the rest of us. Facebook originally balked at the idea of internal checks on fake news, but later Zuckerberg said, "it's not fully formed, and we'll keep improving it." A cynic could interpret that as we know what we are doing, try and keep up.
The potential for public Congressional oversight hearings demanding the testimony of both Sandberg and Zuckerberg is now looming. As someone over 60, I will be entertained and LMAO at men my age trying to understand the correlation between algorithms and the meaning of intersectionality. Zuckerberg will throw a few LOLs and SMHs and BTWs at the group and have them all confused and lamenting the demise of flip phones.
The real problem for Zuckerberg is the public and the FTC. They have the authority to levy fines, and we can power down. A small chance exists the fines could be substantial but would probably only amount to a slap on the wrist for a company worth billions of dollars. Temporarily some of us will start reading the endless terms and conditions covenants before we crush candy or calm angry birds, but things will return to normal and we will get annoyed after line 15, codicil 24 and just click “I agree.” If you can get through their user’s agreement, that may make you eligible to work for Facebook’s legal team. In listening to the debate, over the past few days, I have repeatedly heard myself referred to as a product. Mark, you had better check the sell by date, the product may be souring.
Vote in ’18 for Change