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(Slate)   Apparently, the internet is having a mid-life crisis, is considering buying a convertible   (slate.com) divider line
29
    More: Awkward, Internet, History of the Internet, Public library, Public space, World Wide Web, Twitter, Public, Wi-Fi  
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1085 clicks; posted to STEM » on 05 Dec 2022 at 9:20 AM (16 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



29 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
Mugato [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 8:02:32 AM  
Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.
 
EvilEgg [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-12-05 8:27:50 AM  

Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.


I was going to say that.  If this is true, you need to re-evaluate your life choices.  Perhaps become a professional Fortnite player.
 
tfresh [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 8:29:56 AM  

Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.


I dunno, there's plenty of people here on fark that'd say the same thing.

Funny how the conversation used to be how video games were going to be the ruin of children as it took up so much time and left them indoors and inactive. Then social media came barreling along and that thread dried right up.
 
Tr0mBoNe [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 9:13:40 AM  
There should be an open forum (with good moderation) where people can release breaking news and memes. Having it owned by a mercurial manchild is bad.
 
Martian_Astronomer [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 9:25:55 AM  
"That's where the hiccups start. Government regulation of the internet sounds ominous, with China's Great Firewall and the ability of autocrats across the globe to literally shut down the internet service providers in their counties, or call upon Facebook, Google, and Twitter to do their bidding-or else."

...

"Using that model for inspiration, "New Twitter" could be a global communication platform owned and operated by a coalition of public service-minded stakeholders. But to keep Twitter, well, Twitter, it needs to retain some core properties and features of the platform that people have valued. Namely, the platform needs to be free, it needs to have scale, and for better or worse, it needs to be a place for free expression."

------

At a higher level I like the idea of Twitter as an actual coalition-owned utility, but the devil is definitely in the details: The conundrum of how to deal with censorious governments has an equally stinky twin, namely how to deal with weaponized disinformation or harassment. Free speech was hard enough back in the day when all your local loons could do was nail broadsheets on telegraph polls and scream in the town square. Now, social media makes it possible for both state and non-state actors who may literally want to kill you or destroy your particular civilization to terrorize individuals, swing elections, or literally start genocidal purges. You need guardrails against that too.

Most social media has policies against direct calls for violence. However, it's generally clumsy at handling lies that - if true - would reasonably be justification for violence, and in terms of swaying public opinion or motivating action those are almost as bad. "People named 'Bob' should die" is a call to violence. "People named 'Bob' like to eat babies, be ready for anything if you see a 'Bob' near a playground" would justify violence against poor Bob if it were true, and the people this message is directed at understand it, but this sort of statement (and lighter shades of it) are much harder to police. See also "The election was stolen" and "Democrats drink blood."

All this to say, I think it's a worthy project, but I certainly wouldn't want to write policy for it, and the end result is probably not going to satisfy anyone.
 
RobotSpider
2022-12-05 9:36:10 AM  

Tr0mBoNe: There should be an open forum (with good moderation) where people can release breaking news and memes. Having it owned by a mercurial manchild is bad.


If I had the money to do nothing for 6 months, and a couple dozen programmers with the same, now is the perfect time for someone to make a move on Twitter. Really. Develop an iron-clad policy on what will/won't be allowed, an appeal system, accountability, a transparent policy board, and non-repudiation (i.e. no bots, no anonymous accounts). The rest is just a database and a web front-end. Twitter's tech is fine. It's their rule-by-sovereign that's killing them.
 
Wine Sipping Elitist [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 9:40:12 AM  
Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.


No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.
 
Ambitwistor [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 10:32:38 AM  
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
Ambitwistor [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 10:36:35 AM  

Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.

No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.


Those platforms are not just Internet domains, they're massive social networking services layered on top of those domains.  Others could duplicate such services in a less centralized way, but it's not trivial and may not get the same user buy-in.
 
Mouser
2022-12-05 10:38:27 AM  

Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.


No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.


The Internet is NOT a public utility.  It's a partnership between a vast number of private internet service providers who have agreed to abide by a common standard so that they can communicate with one another.  The whole point of the Internet was to AVOID government control, because it was originally intended to be a communication system to be used if the government was destroyed during WWIII.
 
Nimbull
2022-12-05 10:56:42 AM  
No lie I found this neat COBOL course site at some university that reminded me of the Internet before it got overrun by corporate interests. Nice little place, don't really want to say where it is because it could get swallowed up by some boiler plate university website CSS/JSON/<Insert your favorite framework here> crazed team. Kind of neat to go through it and do some of the exercises on my Linux box using GNUCobol.
 
csi_yellowknife
2022-12-05 11:00:53 AM  
I see the original title was "How to Save Twitter."

The problem is that Twitter was a cesspool 2-3 years ago....it was just that it was THEIR cesspool. Journalists, more the Always Online/Trash Take types than the rank-and-file, knew it was filled with garbage but didn't care. Everyone except Slate and Vox writers knows that Twitter is Not Real Life.

Also, if you need a website where "18 REASONS WHY KIM'S NEW SHOEZ ARE OUR EVERYTHING" is trending you probably are telling more people about your writing quality than you realizing.

/Mastodon is just fine if you're a well-adjusted person and just want to connect with real people. You want influence and to peddle your click-bait? Too bad.
 
fullyautomatic [OhFark]
2022-12-05 11:30:04 AM  
Statesplanation: Twitter = the entire internet!!!11!!
*crowd looks around confusedly, cartoon cane comes out from behind the curtain and pulls author off the stage*
 
Abe Vigoda's Ghost
2022-12-05 12:27:38 PM  
Fark user imageView Full Size


Are we supposed to go shopping for our midlife girlfriends?
 
MadHatter500 [OhFark]
2022-12-05 12:36:37 PM  

Mouser: The whole point of the Internet was to AVOID government control,


ARPA, The NSF and The Commerce Department would disagree with you.  Hell, the NSF and Commerce Department even told me so in 1996.

The point was to create something that was extraordinarily resilient, that furthered the idea that communication enabled better outcomes (in many fields).  The US government's belief is that is best achieved with limited government control.  But you look at the underpinnings of the Internet and there government control exists.  The US has a particularly light hand on those controls, so you have the illusion it doesn't exist, but it does in both fascinating and frightening ways.  China, Russia, India, the EU... all have much more direct government interference.
 
tfresh [TotalFark]
2022-12-05 12:53:08 PM  

Abe Vigoda's Ghost: [Fark user image 464x446]

Are we supposed to go shopping for our midlife girlfriends?


Their names: Destiny and Regret
 
error 303
2022-12-05 12:56:37 PM  
Burn it all down. Don't start over.
 
Caelistis
2022-12-05 2:14:14 PM  

Abe Vigoda's Ghost: [Fark user image 464x446]

Are we supposed to go shopping for our midlife girlfriends?


Is there another store I can go to?
 
Abe Vigoda's Ghost
2022-12-05 2:46:44 PM  

Caelistis: Abe Vigoda's Ghost: [Fark user image 464x446]

Are we supposed to go shopping for our midlife girlfriends?

Is there another store I can go to?


Choices are limited for the average Joe.

You've got to have DiCaprio money to shop at the higher end stores.
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:00:12 PM  

Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.


Twatter is more fun
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:01:59 PM  

tfresh: Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.

I dunno, there's plenty of people here on fark that'd say the same thing.

Funny how the conversation used to be how video games were going to be the ruin of children as it took up so much time and left them indoors and inactive. Then social media came barreling along and that thread dried right up.


Neither one will teach you anything.

Except fark which taught me that blockchain will ruin life on earth
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:03:00 PM  

Ambitwistor: [Fark user image image 275x183]


Fark user imageView Full Size
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:03:43 PM  

Ambitwistor: Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.

No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.

Those platforms are not just Internet domains, they're massive social networking services layered on top of those domains.  Others could duplicate such services in a less centralized way, but it's not trivial and may not get the same user buy-in.


Less centralized???

Blockchain:  you phoned??
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:06:08 PM  

Mouser: Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.


No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.

The Internet is NOT a public utility.  It's a partnership between a vast number of private internet service providers who have agreed to abide by a common standard so that they can communicate with one another.  The whole point of the Internet was to AVOID government control, because it was originally intended to be a communication system to be used if the government was destroyed during WWIII.


Lolzz

You and that bong been watching too much fuks news

The arpanet was built for wartime as a way for the gov to maintain communications if large swaths of its networks were knocked out.  It decentrailzed communications
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:08:09 PM  

Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.


Sounds like some of them are wearing twitter butt plugs that can be controlled by followers
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:08:46 PM  

EvilEgg: Mugato: Twitter isn't just a platform. It's how some of us live, work, and survive

That's just sad.

I was going to say that.  If this is true, you need to re-evaluate your life choices.  Perhaps become a professional Fortnite player.


That racket is already dominated by farkers
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:10:42 PM  

Mouser: Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.


No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.

The Internet is NOT a public utility.  It's a partnership between a vast number of private internet service providers who have agreed to abide by a common standard so that they can communicate with one another.  The whole point of the Internet was to AVOID government control, because it was originally intended to be a communication system to be used if the government was destroyed during WWIII.


Arpanet was created by the DoD
 
Linux_Yes
2022-12-05 3:11:52 PM  

error 303: Burn it all down. Don't start over.


Fark user imageView Full Size
 
AdrienVeidt
2022-12-06 8:52:35 AM  

Linux_Yes: Mouser: Wine Sipping Elitist: Many have long argued that Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms are public utilities-they provide an essential service to the public by enabling the flow of communication that supports communities, commerce, and access to critical information.


No, the internet itself is a public utility, and those are domains located on the internet. Hell the .com top level domain isn't even the internet. *sigh* these idiots don't realize they can make their own node on the internet. We don't *need* any one website.

The Internet is NOT a public utility.  It's a partnership between a vast number of private internet service providers who have agreed to abide by a common standard so that they can communicate with one another.  The whole point of the Internet was to AVOID government control, because it was originally intended to be a communication system to be used if the government was destroyed during WWIII.

Arpanet was created by the DoD


Specifically to continue government operations in the event of the Russkies nuking DC, as well.
 
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