'Facebook Is Dangerous': Big Tech's Rough Day On Capitol Hill

[appalachiablue]

Source: CNN

Two years ago, Facebook changed its mission statement to focus on "bringing the world closer together." On Tuesday, it appeared to accomplish that lofty goal for the political world, at least, as Republican and Democrat lawmakers united in bipartisan distrust of the social media giant.

"Facebook is dangerous," Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat and ranking member on the Senate Banking Committee, said in prepared remarks to kick off a hearing on Facebook's proposal for a new digital currency, called Libra. "Like a toddler who has gotten his hands on a book of matches, Facebook has burned down the house over and over, and called every arson a learning experience."

Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican, sounded a similarly damning note later in the hearing. "I don't trust you guys," she said. "Instead of cleaning up your house, now you're launching into a another business model." The tense hearing came on a day of back-to-back grillings for Silicon Valley executives on Capitol Hill.

Later on Tuesday, executives from Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple are set to testify at a House antitrust hearing examining the consequences of their growing market power. On Wednesday, Facebook will face more questions over Libra from the House Financial Services committee. Once viewed in purely glowing terms as icons of American innovation, these companies now face mounting calls from lawmakers, presidential candidates and even some tech industry insiders to be broken up and have their immense power checked...


Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/facebook-is-dangerous-big-techs-rough-day-on-capitol-hill/ar-AAEpP00?ocid=iehp

[PSPS]

1. "Republican and Democrat lawmakers"

[appalachiablue]

2. What they said,

"Like a toddler who has gotten his hands on a book of matches, Facebook has burned down the house over and over, and called every arson a learning experience."

[ffr]

3. Phuck CNN's drama based news mission!

They've always been about the drama and controversy. Phuck 'em!

[Skittles]

4. sickening how many people have been sucked into the FB Borg

[Dave Starsky]

5. It's almost like a bizarre religious cult.

I have several family members who are literally MAD at me because I don't play on Facebook. I'm not there to "like" their kid's swim meet pics, the pic of the Reuben sandwich they had for lunch, etc. They think I'm just "too good" for them.

[Skittles]

8. oh don't even get me started

what kills me is they have no clue how much FB manipulates their behavior

[Dave Starsky]

9. And they spend SO much time on it.

I pop on several social media sites throughout the day, including this one, but I don't organize my life around it. I have family members who literally plan their vacations to include Facebook selfie opportunities. It's just crazy.

Facebook gives everyone an opportunity to be a celebrity in their own bubble world. I think that's why so many people love it and worship it so.

[Skittles]

10. you are absolutely correct

and fuck ANYONE who sends me pictures of their food - seriously, GET A LIFE

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. "Like a toddler who has gotten his hands on a book of matches, Facebook has burned down the house

over and over, and called every arson a learning experience."

Yeah, that's exactly what the industry is based on.

[Politicub]

7. Facebook has been a cesspit for years. Today its a place for people to showcase their most

vile viewpoints and outdo each other's brazenness. And, I always knew there were some elements in my family that were pretty retrograde, but I had no idea of the depth. And some family members that I thought would be accepting of me surprised me by posting homophobic memes. That really got to me.

There's not enough on it to keep me going back each day. I enjoy seeing pictures of my niece's newborn, but I don't need to see 30 pictures of her every day.