[grc] Media Alliance referenced

Mon May 3 08:14:09 PDT 2021

New Caitlin Johnstone on the subject.

https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2021/05/03/silicon-valley-algorithm-manipulation-is-the-only-thing-keeping-mainstream-media-alive/

On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 11:18 PM Ann Garrison via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org>
wrote:

> Many interesting points, Tracy, which I consider worthy of discussion on
> this list.
>
> I'll quarrel with only one for the moment. Practice puts constant pressure
> on the language, and "internet censorship" is now common parlance for
> search engines and social media platforms erasure of content, whether with
> algorithms, low wage labor, or decisions made at a higher organizational
> level.
>
> On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 10:30 PM Tracy Rosenberg via grc <
> grc at maillist.peak.org> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I'm sorry this landed on this list, and it appears to have been an error
> by
> > the OP, which I'll mention below. But since my name was dragged here w/o
> my
> > permission, let me clarify a few things.
> >
> > 1)  What is commonly known as "terfing" or gender pronoun disrespect
> isn't
> > okay and it isn't about that righwing canard "political correctness". It
> is
> > about letting people tell their own stories about themselves and
> respecting
> > others
> > as being as fully human as oneself and not refracting their ideas about
> > themselves through a self-centered perspective about how it makes "you"
> > feel. It is new for many of us. I have mis-gendered people. And in so
> > doing, I have
> > learned a lot about why I was doing that and why I needed to stop.
> Progress
> > is hard. But it is when we stop trying that we commit sins against fellow
> > human beings. There is no excuse for not recognizing anyone's chosen
> gender
> > identity and no excuse for whining about it or dismissing it.
> >
> > 2) Media Alliance does not send our organizational bulletins to the GRC
> > list, just like no one else does. Riva is mistaken in her claim that
> Media
> > Alliance sent the circuit breaker petition to GRC. We did not. Riva
> > receives our email bulletins because she is subscribed to our mailing
> list
> > and if she does not want to be, there is a little button called
> unsubscribe
> > at the bottom of each one. It is possible a member of GRC forwarded the
> > petition here. I dunno. If so, that was their choice. But I expect that
> the
> > original poster just got confused by their email inbox.
> >
> > 3) The ensuing conversation is confused on several counts. To start with,
> > social media is not the same thing as email. "The Internet" is not the
> same
> > thing as social media, nor is it the same thing as email. No one is
> > censored on "the Internet". For the price of a domain name, anyone can
> set
> > up a free website and say whatever they want. When people talk about
> > "censorship", what they mean is traffic to their site or their content,
> > which is a different matter. Free speech is not the same thing as a
> > guaranteed audience size.
> >
> > 4) With regard to Spencer's post. Demand Progress are friends of mine, as
> > are some others that have been using this talking point in their
> > fundraising emails, like Common Dreams. It stems from a righwing talking
> > point used at a Congressional hearing when a Republican started yelling
> > about how his brother's campaign emails ended up in his spam folder and
> > used it as proof that Google is biased against Republicans. Most of us
> made
> > fun of it for a long time
> > afterwards and I can't tell you how distressed I am to see progressives
> > picking up a dumb rightwing talking point. As Pichai explained, and I
> will
> > repeat, spam filters on email accounts like Gmail are a) popular with
> users
> > and b) based on a long list of technical factors related to bulk emailing
> > that include how fast unsubscribes and bounces are tended to, the number
> of
> > bad email addresses, the frequency of emails sent, the open rates, the
> SPC
> > setting on the sender email address, the number of spam complaints
> received
> > and so on. While of course, these formulas could be more transparent,
> they
> > aren't unknown and that is why digital directors are a job category. With
> > political emails, because I got all of them (Sanders, Warren, Trump,
> Biden,
> > Buttigieg, Klobuchar, Yang, Gabbard et al), I can personally testify that
> > for all of them, some made it to my inbox and some ended up in spam. My
> > recollection is that Trump was fairly adept at avoiding the spam box and
> so
> > was Sanders later in his campaign, but not earlier. Warren did not have
> top
> > knotch digital staff. The answer to what emails end up in spam is a tech
> > question, not a political question and it isn't helpful to pretend
> > otherwise. For those groups sending fundraising letters, well the
> accuracy
> > of fundraising letters leaves a lot to be desired. It is a good idea not
> to
> > pretend a donate email is a meaningful political analysis. It's a hook to
> > encourage you to donate money.
> >
> > 5) A circuit breaker policy on social media has been recommended by a
> > number of blue ribbon experts. The idea seems to have originated with
> > Rutgers law professor Ellen Goodman (
> > https://law.rutgers.edu/directory/view/1020). It is not censorship,
> which
> > is the prevention of content being posted.  The problem of virality in
> > social media is pretty much just the web 2.0 version of the old
> mainstream
> > media problem of "if it bleeds, it leads". Being machines, the AI that
> > powers social media algorithims pretty much interprets engagement as
> > popularity. So a post of blatant lies that gets 600 people correcting it
> > (i.e. the sun is closer to the earth than the moon) is perceived as
> > desirable content, because so many people said "fuck no, that's wrong",
> > while valuable posts that don't motivate so many people to correct them
> are
> > seen as less popular and less desirable. It's the same thing that
> happened
> > when daily newspapers plastered a bloody victim of a crime picture on the
> > front page and sold three times as many copies as usual because people
> > reacted and they drew from that exactly all the wrong conclusions.
> > Everything old is new again.
> >
> > So left to their own devices, repulsive social media posts are served by
> > the algorithim. This is exacerbated by the fact that the right wing has
> > invested in a bot ecosphere to rapidly engage and kick up the AI and
> > neither progressives nor centrist democrats have anything even remotely
> > equal. That is why when you get lists of the 20 most viral posts any week
> > of the year from Facebook, it is all or almost all rabid right wing
> > frothing at the mouth. Similarly, that is why Donald Trump had so many
> > followers on Twitter. It was a bot collection for the purpose of
> > supercharging his content. When people play the system, it  is more than
> > reasonable to play back. A circuit breaker censors nothing, but it slows
> > down super-spreader content that is being manipulated for virality by
> > coordinated networks for a short period of time, allowing for human
> review
> > before it appears in hundreds of thousands or even millions of feeds.
> None
> > of this impacts the original post, It remains. And none of this impacts
> > progressive media because I hate to break it to you, progressive media
> > content is not the superspreader content.
> >
> > This is apart from issues of community standards and terms of service,
> > which on social media platforms are frequently applied by low wage
> workers,
> > often in India, who make frequent mistakes. The answer for that is more
> > resources for the function, which is a hard sell for the move fast and
> > break things crowd.
> >
> > But all a circuit breaker is, is an artificial intelligence brake, and it
> > is foolish to equate that with censorship. Way too broad a brush and
> > essentially a meaningless argument imho.
> >
> > - Tracy
> >
> > On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 4:34 PM Ann Garrison via grc <
> grc at maillist.peak.org
> > >
> > wrote:
> >
> > > I agree that internet censorship is now such a critical media issue
> that
> > it
> > > merits discussion on this list, so long as it remains rational rather
> > than
> > > vituperative.  Discussion within Pacifica Radio often becomes
> > vituperative
> > > fast, and I wish that weren't so, but over the years I've learned it's
> > best
> > > to walk away once that happens.
> > >
> > > We produced two shows on censorship and surveillance, with particular
> > > emphasis on internet censorship, for "COVID, Race, and Democracy."
> Nick
> > > Huntley, cybersecurity specialist and producer of "Nick’s Nerd News," a
> > > show syndicated on Audioport, contributed a piece on Amazon
> surveillance
> > to
> > > the last one.
> > >
> > >
> >
> https://covidtaskforce.pacifica.org/2021/01/25/covid-surveillance-and-big-tech-censorship-january-25-2021/
> > >
> > >
> >
> https://covidtaskforce.pacifica.org/2021/03/02/covid-big-tech-censorship-surveillance-part-2-march-1-2021/
> > >
> > > On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 3:22 PM riva enteen via grc <
> > grc at maillist.peak.org>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > MA put out an email to this list supporting Silicon Valley
> censorship.
> > > So
> > > > this is not a forum to respond to that?
> > > > Frankly, I find it shocking that GRC doesn't grapple with this new,
> > very
> > > > controversial and potentially dangerous trend.  The debate was shut
> > down.
> > > > I guess Adrienne agrees that we are not to talk about Silicon Valley
> > > > censorship.  No wonder the left is dead.
> > > >
> > > > On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 3:18 PM David Devereaux-Weber <
> > > president at wortfm.org
> > > > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi riva,
> > > > >
> > > > > The GRC is an email list created for the Grassroots Radio
> Conference.
> > > The
> > > > > purpose of the list is to discuss things about starting and
> operating
> > > > > community radio stations. We don't run Facebook. We don't determine
> > > > > policies for Facebook. Radio stations who subscribe to this list
> may
> > > wish
> > > > > to broadcast programs about this topic, but that is not the purpose
> > of
> > > > this
> > > > > list.
> > > > >
> > > > > You seem to be passionate about the topics of interest to you. That
> > is
> > > > > great. But this is not the forum for that discussion.
> > > > >
> > > > > Dave
> > > > >
> > > > > David Devereaux-Weber
> > > > > President, WORT Board of Directors
> > > > > president at wortfm.org <President at wortfm.org>
> > > > > (608)576-2599
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 5:08 PM riva enteen via grc <
> > > > grc at maillist.peak.org>
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> It was too much trouble for you to allow debate about your
> "circuit
> > > > >> breaker
> > > > >> technology."  So you think FB can censor Robert Kennedy, Jr.
> because
> > > he
> > > > >> violates their terms of service?
> > > > >>
> > > > >> I think pressure and judgement about remembering a person's
> pronouns
> > > > >> (plural yet) when a large group is introducing themselves is a
> > > > distraction
> > > > >> from what we face, such as the real threat of nuclear war.  And
> > yes, I
> > > > >> know
> > > > >> I will be called transphobic, but I am proud to use the word
> > feminist,
> > > > >> although that apparently makes me a TERF.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 10:04 AM Tracy Rosenberg <
> > > > tracy at media-alliance.org
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> > You were not considerate, Riva. You said that it was too much
> > > trouble
> > > > >> for
> > > > >> > you to observe the gender identities that people wish to be
> > > recognized
> > > > >> by.
> > > > >> > By definition, that is rude and not considerate. You clearly
> need
> > to
> > > > >> > rethink your position on not eradicating others.
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> > You also do not understand what circuit breaker technology is.
> > > > Platforms
> > > > >> > do not determine truth, but they do define their terms of
> service,
> > > > like
> > > > >> any
> > > > >> > other website, list serv, company, radio station or
> organization.
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> > -Tracy
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> > On Sun, May 2, 2021, 09:55 riva enteen via grc <
> > > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > > >
> > > > >> > wrote:
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> >> I am glad to be considerate, butI think controversial issues
> must
> > > be
> > > > >> >> addressed in a principled manner.  MA seemed to shut down any
> > > debate
> > > > >> about
> > > > >> >> Silicon Valley determining truth and I think Tracy's response
> > with
> > > > >> circuit
> > > > >> >> breaker begs the question.
> > > > >> >>
> > > > >> >> On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 9:47 AM kenya lewis <
> kenyalewis at gmail.com
> > >
> > > > >> wrote:
> > > > >> >>
> > > > >> >> > Riva,
> > > > >> >> >
> > > > >> >> > What “stablished” this poorly edited set of personal
> > observations
> > > > and
> > > > >> >> > grudges is broadly relevant to this GRC list (or as part of
> > a/the
> > > > >> black
> > > > >> >> > agenda)?
> > > > >> >> >
> > > > >> >> > Is it possible to be considerate of each other and use this
> > > > listserv
> > > > >> to
> > > > >> >> > cooperate?
> > > > >> >> >
> > > > >> >> > Kenya
> > > > >> >> _______________________________________________
> > > > >> >> grc mailing list
> > > > >> >> grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > > >> >> http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > > > >> >>
> > > > >> >
> > > > >> _______________________________________________
> > > > >> grc mailing list
> > > > >> grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > > >> http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > > > >>
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > grc mailing list
> > > > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Sincerely,
> > > @AnnGarrison <https://twitter.com/AnnGarrison?lang=en>
> > > Independent Journalist,
> > > SKYPE: Ann Garrison, Oakland
> > > 415-503-7487
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > grc mailing list
> > > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Tracy Rosenberg
> > Executive Director
> > Media Alliance
> > 2830 20th Street Suite 201
> > San Francisco, CA 94110
> > www.media-alliance.org
> > 415-746-9475
> > 510-684-6853 Cell
> > Encrypted email at tracy.rosenberg at protonmail.com
> > Text via Signal
> >
> > -
> > _______________________________________________
> > grc mailing list
> > grc at maillist.peak.org
> > http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
> >
>
>
> --
> Sincerely,
> @AnnGarrison <https://twitter.com/AnnGarrison?lang=en>
> Independent Journalist,
> SKYPE: Ann Garrison, Oakland
> 415-503-7487
> _______________________________________________
> grc mailing list
> grc at maillist.peak.org
> http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc
>