Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England
Over the last several years, Facebook has become a public good and an important social resource. But as a company, it is behaving badly, and long term, that may cost it: A spring survey found that almost half of Americans believe that Facebook will eventually fade away. Even the business side has been a bit of a disaster lately, with earnings lower than expected and the news that a significant portion of Facebook profiles are fake. If neither users nor investors can be confident in the company, it’s time we start discussing an idea that might seem crazy: nationalizing Facebook.

By “nationalizing Facebook,” I mean public ownership and at least a majority share at first. When nationalizing the company restores the public trust, that controlling interest could be reduced. There are three very good reasons for this drastic step: It could fix the company’s woeful privacy practices, allow the social network to fulfill its true potential for providing social good, and force it to put its valuable data to work on significant social problems.

--- rest in link
http://www.slate.com/articles/technolog … ghts_.html

I was going to write a commentary on this article stating how much of a lunatic the guy is and questioning why the media gives so much weight to the ideas of academics... but that would be boring.

I actually appreciate the fact that academics live in a world where they can feel free to express ideas, no matter how wrong they may be. Actually, especially if they are wrong. It's refreshing to see opinions and ideas that are outside of the box that force you to think rather than just autopilot through life. Of course, I think his entire premise is nigh retarded, but I think the old John Stuart Mill quote is apt here:

John Stuart Mill wrote:

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.
I just lament the fact that some people will actually think this is a good idea. Hopefully not too many.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Macbeth
Banned
+2,444|5556

Okay...
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England

Macbeth wrote:

Okay...
Would you stop being a complete dickhead?
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
HITNRUNXX
Member
+220|6680|Oklahoma City
You are doing a bad job running your company, so we will take it away from you and run it for you...

Now in this model, do the FB owners still make the profits while other people run their company better for them?
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England
Zuckerberg would be forced to step down and a more politically acceptable CEO would be installed in his place, one who would produce the electric vehicles propaganda the administration desires.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
HITNRUNXX
Member
+220|6680|Oklahoma City
Cool... Yeah a world where anyone can start up a company, and then just have it taken away from them and run by people declared better at it, instead of just failing and going out of business, then that would be just awesome. How does communism work again? I don't have time to go look it up.
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,973|6602|949

While I don't agree with this professors stupid idea, you guys are showing your own ignorance if you think the GM bailout was to instill a politically palatable CEO and push a green objective. Don't be so fucking stupid, Jay
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England
I'm kidding, the professor actually comes at it from a reasonable place, kind of. His point is about privacy issues that have been cropping up with Facebook. But... he kind of missed the entire point. I don't think anyone really expected Facebook to work as a charity, they spent billions of dollars developing the system, why would they not want to monetize it? So to suggest that people have been duped in some way is silly. Someone who feels as strongly as this professor does about there being a platform free of privacy issues where people are free to voice their opinions, socialize, or whatever else they want to do is free to start up his own non-profit competitor. Of course they'd have to beg for donations like wikipedia does, but he'd have his forum. Expecting the government to come in and create this forum is idealistic at best, and terrifying at worst. The government already spends billions of dollars monitoring our activities, I don't need or want to make their job easier.
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England

KEN-JENNINGS wrote:

While I don't agree with this professors stupid idea, you guys are showing your own ignorance if you think the GM bailout was to instill a politically palatable CEO and push a green objective. Don't be so fucking stupid, Jay
No, it wasn't the primary goal, but it is one of the consequences. Obama picked the CEO, a CEO that had no experience in the automotive industry, and immediately GM started pumping large amounts of money into the Volt. The government still owns 32% of the company, even after the stock issue, so if you don't think they influence decision making...
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
Pug
UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate
+652|6512|Texas - Bigger than France

Jay wrote:

KEN-JENNINGS wrote:

While I don't agree with this professors stupid idea, you guys are showing your own ignorance if you think the GM bailout was to instill a politically palatable CEO and push a green objective. Don't be so fucking stupid, Jay
No, it wasn't the primary goal, but it is one of the consequences. Obama picked the CEO, a CEO that had no experience in the automotive industry, and immediately GM started pumping large amounts of money into the Volt. The government still owns 32% of the company, even after the stock issue, so if you don't think they influence decision making...
Yes, unlike the other companies which have decided their new product lines will be restricted to bigger SUVs.
RTHKI
mmmf mmmf mmmf
+1,736|6707|Oxferd Ohire
do you even follow the auto industry
https://i.imgur.com/tMvdWFG.png
RTHKI
mmmf mmmf mmmf
+1,736|6707|Oxferd Ohire
you obviously dont
https://i.imgur.com/tMvdWFG.png
Hurricane2k9
Pendulous Sweaty Balls
+1,538|5672|College Park, MD
jesus people just can't get enough of the government in their lives can they???

shit, let's nationalize youtube and reddit and even brazzers while we're at it
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/36793/marylandsig.jpg
Hurricane2k9
Pendulous Sweaty Balls
+1,538|5672|College Park, MD
i'd be more concerned about my privacy if facebook were owned by the government than I am now

Last edited by Hurricane2k9 (2012-08-17 13:30:21)

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/36793/marylandsig.jpg
Macbeth
Banned
+2,444|5556

One person suggest nationalizing something

"THIS IS WHY ACADEMICS ARE STUPID!!"

"HOW CAN PEOPLE WANT MORE GOVERNMENT IN THEIR LIVES!!"
Jenspm
penis
+1,716|6702|St. Andrews / Oslo

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

jesus people just can't get enough of the government in their lives can they???

shit, let's nationalize youtube and reddit and even brazzers while we're at it
Fucking left-wingers at it again!
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/flickricon.png https://twitter.com/phoenix/favicon.ico
Hurricane2k9
Pendulous Sweaty Balls
+1,538|5672|College Park, MD

Jenspm wrote:

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

jesus people just can't get enough of the government in their lives can they???

shit, let's nationalize youtube and reddit and even brazzers while we're at it
Fucking left-wingers at it again!
lol, right-wingers are just as guilty of it.
https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/36793/marylandsig.jpg
Cheeky_Ninja06
Member
+52|6702|Cambridge, England

Jay wrote:

I'm kidding, the professor actually comes at it from a reasonable place, kind of. His point is about privacy issues that have been cropping up with Facebook. But... he kind of missed the entire point. I don't think anyone really expected Facebook to work as a charity, they spent billions of dollars developing the system, why would they not want to monetize it? So to suggest that people have been duped in some way is silly. Someone who feels as strongly as this professor does about there being a platform free of privacy issues where people are free to voice their opinions, socialize, or whatever else they want to do is free to start up his own non-profit competitor. Of course they'd have to beg for donations like wikipedia does, but he'd have his forum. Expecting the government to come in and create this forum is idealistic at best, and terrifying at worst. The government already spends billions of dollars monitoring our activities, I don't need or want to make their job easier.
>free of privacy issues where people are free to voice their opinions

Sounds like 4chan to me.
Frank Reynolds
Member
+65|4299
facebook shows how stupid people actually are
What are you looking at dicknose
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England

Cheeky_Ninja06 wrote:

Jay wrote:

I'm kidding, the professor actually comes at it from a reasonable place, kind of. His point is about privacy issues that have been cropping up with Facebook. But... he kind of missed the entire point. I don't think anyone really expected Facebook to work as a charity, they spent billions of dollars developing the system, why would they not want to monetize it? So to suggest that people have been duped in some way is silly. Someone who feels as strongly as this professor does about there being a platform free of privacy issues where people are free to voice their opinions, socialize, or whatever else they want to do is free to start up his own non-profit competitor. Of course they'd have to beg for donations like wikipedia does, but he'd have his forum. Expecting the government to come in and create this forum is idealistic at best, and terrifying at worst. The government already spends billions of dollars monitoring our activities, I don't need or want to make their job easier.
>free of privacy issues where people are free to voice their opinions

Sounds like 4chan to me.
Sounds like this place, or any other forum. I don't live in fear that Jeff will sell my personal information to marketers here
"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
-Whiteroom-
Pineapplewhat
+572|6629|BC, Canada

Frank Reynolds wrote:

the internet shows how stupid people actually are
mtb0minime
minimember
+2,418|6625

guy bought stock in facebook and is mad that he's an idiot and made a stupid investment so now he wants his money back
Jay
Bork! Bork! Bork!
+2,006|5328|London, England
prolly

Last edited by Jay (2012-08-17 17:12:03)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat
BVC
Member
+325|6665
Because nationalising a website will really help protect privacy.

I actually requested their archive thing recently, can't remember what it was called.  It was fairly innocuous, but didn't include a few bits and pieces which should have been there.
HITNRUNXX
Member
+220|6680|Oklahoma City

BVC wrote:

Because nationalising a website will really help protect privacy.
What are you talking about? The government has the best security in the world. No government sites have ever been breached.

*sweeps thousands of newspaper headlines under the rug*

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