Facebook: What Is a Threat to the Company?

October 29, 2019

I spotted a headline on Techmeme. Rewriting headlines is part of the Techmeme approach to communication. The link to which the headline points is this New York Times article. Here is the NYT headline:

Dissent Erupts at Facebook Over Hands-Off Stance on Political Ads

This is the Techmeme headline:

Sources: over 250 Facebook employees have signed a letter visible on an internal forum that says letting politicians lie in ads is “a threat” to the company

The messages are almost the same: Staff push back is a problem. But isn’t it part of the current high-tech company ethos.

The threat is management’s inability to maintain control. Companies typically work toward a goal; for example, manufacturing video doorbells or selling asbestos free baby powder. (Okay, those a bad examples.)

Perhaps something larger is afoot?

The corrosion of a ethical fabric allows certain aspects of human behavior to move through a weakened judgmental membrane may be more significant. The problem is not Facebook’s alone.

Are there similarities between a company shipping baby powder with questionable ingredients and Facebook?

Interesting question.

Stephen E Arnold, October 29, 2019

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