01-16-2021, 05:17 PM
(01-16-2021, 10:28 AM)David Horn Wrote: This is a bit rich considering the source of 99% of the disinformation out there. FB was a RW cesspool, far more than one used by the left, and it still continues to a great extent. It's been well documented that FB algorithms reward extremism, and the "influencers" on the right were often driven to the extremes just to get Likes and Reposts.
I thought two wrongs didn't make a right? All social media touching on politics is a cesspool. It also gives a distorted view of reality given that less than 2% of people are active in anything beyond posting pics of their kids, pets, and vacations. I also hold it responsible for the devolution of journalism as it promotes a 'click bait' approach to headlines and ratings as well as increases the feeling of urgency to get something out without vetting. It's been a long time since serious, reflective, investigative journalism was really rewarded.
Quote:mamabug Wrote:But, I could be wrong, and I'm sure the lovey surveillance state we live in will soon reveal the truth.
I agree that this was planned and executed by professionals of one sort, or perhaps, many. Transparency, on the other hand, is not all that great. Actually, if this was the UK,, I would agree, but it's not. We aren't bathed in video cameras like London (~25,000 the last time I was there). For al;l the whining about loss of freedom, we maintain a lot of privacy here -- possibly to our detriment in this case. Still, privacy is extremely important, and should be violated only under extreme circumstances.
Technologically, they have the ability to grab info about every cell phone that may have hit the congressional wi-fi or pinged off nearby towers. 4th amendment rights are the only thing preventing them from doing a pull of the data and tracking people down that way - but I wouldn't place any bets on that. Libertarians have known since Snowden that law enforcement pulls the data first to build their suspect pool then finds ways to circumvent 'fruit of the poisonous tree' by building a case around them as if it came from other sources. I'd be very surprised if the FBI didn't already have a list in their hands that, legally, they are not allowed to have but which we will never know about.