
Zuckerberg Breaks Silence on Facebook Crisis as Criticism Grows - champagnepapi
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-22/zuckerberg-s-response-doesn-t-cut-it-facebook-s-critics-say
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merricksb
Active discussions:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16641550](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16641550)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16642985](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16642985)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16644915](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16644915)

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zmitri
Despite the tough situation for Facebook, I suspect they are somewhat pleased
that the focus right now is on an older data breach instead of on the toolset
and functionality they provide currently that people aren't talking about.

Although the media is currently focusing on Cambridge Analytica and the simple
targeting they offer to ad buyers using likes/interests, the reality is that
advanced buyers can buy/collect data elsewhere, chop and segment it as they
please, upload names and email addresses, and have Facebook automatically
match the data that they have with fairly high accuracy to users on Facebook.

This removes any of Facebook's "liability" in terms of targeting using likes
and interests in their system, but still allows anyone with the data and know
how to do as they please and still reach all the users they want using
Facebook's tools.

Sure, Facebook will take a hit with this, but ultimately Facebook can and will
get away with the current narrative that this was something that only happened
years ago and they are better now.

To me, the current toolsets and targeting using your own uploaded data is what
is even scarier. Facebook will just shirk all responsibility this way but
still allow for the same thing to happen in the future.

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jdoliner
Man, Bloomberg is all over Zuck. I guess they've got an axe to grind after
what he did to them with the newsfeed changes. It's interesting in that Zuck
and Bloomgerg (really news media in general) are both much more powerful than
each other in different ways. Zuck can change an algorithm and completely
disrupt the flow of clicks. But he can't effectively attack someone's image
the way Bloomberg is attacking his right now.

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mtgx
On the other hand, Bloomberg can't block a single user from reading its
articles, like Zuck blocked the whistleblower from the platform for no good
reason other than revenge.

This is one area where we definitely need some regulation. And I think people
who have complained about Google account bans in the past would agree. These
companies are getting too powerful and connected to too many things and
services to simply be allowed to remove someone's access on a whim, without a
strong justification for it and without also being able to appeal the move to
authorities, if needed.

Ideally, this wouldn't be needed if the internet was more decentralized and
these companies didn't try to be _everywhere_ and own _everything_. But since
they love that monopoly power so much, then the regulation is required.

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mc32
Yes, but while we all love the first amendment when it's something like this,
people will go to great lengths to point out corps are not subject to it when
it would protect an undesirable element with unpopular opinions.

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mc32
The knives are coming out tonight. How many anti-FB articles on the front page
today? Had it been a coordinated attack, it would not have been more
prominent.

Not defending FB, but this is something else. I'm pretty certain they'll
survive this, albeit wounded. But it almost answers the question, what will
turn FB into the next MySpace? Maybe a big exaggerated scandal.

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sqdbps
Hyenas all of 'em.

One has to remember that these news orgs are in competition with Facebook and
their coverage should be considered with that in mind.

The eurocrats must be loving this, instead of scrutinizing their
discriminatory tax proposal targeting our tech sector our press and
politicians are attacking our companies for them.

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amriksohata
Cambridge Analytica also in focus now for being in talks with Indian
opposition party (Congress)

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kkhire
wow drake is posting on hacker news now too damn, this guy is everywhere

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DennisAleynikov
drake is champagnepapi?

