Opinion: When it comes to social media manipulation, we’re our own worst enemy
Members of the media and guests tour Facebook's offices in Cambridge, Mass., in January. By John Kelly March 29 at 9:42 AM John Kelly is the chief executive of Graphika, a network analysis firm, and an affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University.
Our online political discourse is being warped more by American manipulators than by foreign ones. Domestic online “astroturfing” by paid consultants and technically sophisticated volunteers predates social media, and the tools, techniques and ranks of practitioners have only multiplied in recent years.
Most of the dominant platforms are not unserious about political manipulations, nor do they underestimate their responsibilities in the face of democratic governments increasingly ready to bring down the regulatory gavel. I think they get it. But given the First Amendment and critical values of user privacy, this is very tricky terrain for them to navigate.
The leading edge of data science tells us something important here: It is far easier to identify that something is being manipulated online than it is to attribute that manipulation to a specific actor. Without curtailing the vital protections that online anonymity provides to vulnerable, good-faith actors, a social, political and industry commitment to authenticity in online behavior, and the measurement thereof, could cut through many of our problems like a sword through the Gordian knot.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | Sean Hannity comes face to face with his own corruptionWonders how Mueller's team — that biased team! — could have reached this wonderful conclusion.
Read more »
Venmo to Users: If You Owe Us Money, We’re Coming for ItVenmo is threatening to sic debt collectors on some users. But many of them say Venmo is going after the wrong people.
Read more »
Opinion | The worst reason ever not to run for presidentOpinion: The worst reason ever not to run for president
Read more »
Opinion | Modi likes to project muscular nationalism — except when it comes to ChinaWhy should India then bend over backward to ingratiate itself with China, a country that protects terrorists like Masood Azhar?
Read more »
Conor McGregor announces retirement on social mediaNEW YORK (AP) — Superstar UFC fighter Conor McGregor has announced on social media that he is retiring from mixed martial arts. McGregor's verified Twitter account had a post early Tuesday...
Read more »
Conor McGregor announces retirement on social media
Read more »