Zuck on Opioids

I was not impressed with Zuck's performance (Zuck to those in the fold) during his House Hearing in Washington, 11. 04. 2018.

United States
His performance was repetitious: while consistently referring to issues raised by House Members as "important", he frequently was uninformed of them. Or pretended to be. We're talking key-issues. To the point of several times dryly asked whether he, indeed, is Facebook's CEO.

Only having 4 min to get their concerns across/ask questions didn't give Members enough time to one-by-one decisively further their cause - although cumulatively they did - while making it easier for Zuckerberg: frequently trying to "filibuster" with flatish chatter - from which one Member sternly asked him to refrain.

Of course - one prominent topic in the Hearing was how Facebook does/did/didn't identify dodgy accounts to then shut them down in a definitive and timely manner or-not. The Russia thing, fake this-and-that, privacy.
Zuckerberg assured the Committee that he will have 20.000 experts looking at possible "bad actors" by the end of this year, with their work supplemented by tailor-made algorithms. One more good year for 'infiltrators'.

While home-grown problems - not so sexy - have been major, largely unattended - although known - issues since at least 2011.

  


Example: One Member producing an image for all to see, taken of a Facebook page on the same morning, with a list of outlets - itemized info, addresses! - selling Opioids illegally over the Internet.
Facilitated by target-specific advertising on Facebook.

Zuckerberg claimed no knowledge of this, and when asked why these lists could (still!) run on Facebook, after the not so recent any longer hoopla(s) which ultimately got everybody together here, he said a possible problem has to be "flagged". When the Member replied he was flagging it now, and could Zuckerberg commit himself to these lists being identified and deleted forthwith: he wouldn't.
Another Member then added that people may not flag a problem, assuming someone among millions surely to have done so already. Or that Zuck was already on it. 
Which frequently has proven to not be the case!

The general tenor here and throughout the Hearing: 
You want to be a leader - so lead already!

What with algorithms on everything Facebook: whipping-up a quickie for their Opioid crisis - just as drastic as ours - should be simple enough.
Of great immediate benefit to many!

But Zuckerberg - nothing!

While he loftily goes on about highest ideals of privacy, equality, community, sharing-sharing-sharing, and how "important" all that is to "us" - he seems to float above the fray.
Detached - also remarked on by Members.

Canada
Canadians need to take part of the blame for this seemingly easy access to large amounts of Opioids. While there is great concern here about the availability of and escalating addiction and deaths to/through them: where are those researching all this - if not on Facebook!? 

Nelson City Hall 
Subscribers clicking on City Hall's Facebook presence clearly are a feast for hovering overlords.

City Hall Disclosure Policy
"The City of Nelson does not share any of the individually identifiable information you may provide with the sites to which City of Nelson links. We may, however, share aggregate data with such websites (such as how many people use our site)."

"Such websites" meaning Facebook, since Facebook is doing the tracking, and for an accurate count (a pretext!) individual clickers have to be "individually identifiable". Obviously - by their Profile Data! And those of their Friends!
Sold to advertisers of anything.

Nelson Star
Becoming more transparent in this Hearing's exploration -
What with the Black Press/Nelson Star's unholy alliance with Zuck: when his subscribers click on any item on the Star's website - any! - post a comment, participate in a poll/survey, or even just click on Like - they are immediately identified as particular 'types' and funneled into (a) particular box(es). This automatically including anything on their Profiles not nailed-down. And Friends.
Seemingly even after they have logged-off! Excused as "sometimes for security".

Anyway - this info-trove is constantly added to through click-recognition, molded/remolded into whole personae - even added to creatively, these then made available to Facebook's advertisers pushing just about anything. Unchecked.

  
For most effective syphoning: only Facebook users can comment on the Star's website. 
Originally anyone could. Then Zuck took over commenting, with terms of use explained explicitly by him in a page-long set of rules. And then only Facebook users could comment. Eventually this page of rules disappeared - I certainly can't find it - and now one simply signs-in to Facebook under an item to be commented on. If not a user - herein lies the rub! - this is the place to join!
In effect - Zuck now is largely running the local public's opinion through the Star. And that of about 70 other Black Press publications.

Facebook feeding hand-picked Nelson subscribers/Star readers - commenters-or-not, with their unsecured site-data - to its own advertisers.  

Deleting does not mean gone-for-good! A closed account is not closed to Zuck. Everything Facebook is repurposed!

Nelson Daily 
While The Nelson Daily initially held out against the Facebook take-over of commenting: they are now into it with a vengeance. Catching-up! Their Facebook commenting directives do go on, much more explicitly and incomprehensibly than the Star's ever.
For a look just click on Facebook Comments plugin under any item.

Also:
YouTube
"Mark Zuckerberg's second grilling from US lawmakers - watch live"

I sat through 5 hours of this Hearing plus some of that in the Senate - admittedly in chunks, I could  only take so much weaseling Zuck - more firmly convinced than ever: I'm better off without Facebook. And booklets.
But then again - who knows: there may be an algorithm for heretics as well. After all - although I don't own a pad or smartish phone - I am on the Internet.




"I don't have full knowledge of our systems."
                                    Mark Zuckerberg - Senate Hearing, 10. 04. 2018





Image Credits:
mirror.co.uk
South China Morning Post
Washington Post
The Wrap
journalscene.com


Deb Kozak, Mayor
dkozak@nelson.ca

City Council
nelsoncouncil@nelson.ca

Kevin Cormack, City Manager
kcormack@nelson.ca

Frances Long, Director - Corporate Services
flong@nelson.ca