[glogla]

I'm guessing you're getting downvoted for aggresive tone.

But you are right that social media networks are strong enablers of evil and helpers to enemies of freedom and democracy. Facebook and Twitter could easily stop (almost) all the misinformation and propaganda, but they don't because it makes them money.

[graphpercolator]

I think we confuse though doing data science on historic data to spot these manipulative communities vs doing that same data science in near real time to have any real counter effect on it.

I really doubt they could stop propaganda before the message is sent without deleting a ton of accounts that are false positives.

[thesz]

What you consider misinformation and propaganda I may consider valuable vantage points.

I also should point that any defense of the freedom of speech also defends freedom of misinformation and propaganda.

[watwut]

> What you consider misinformation and propaganda I may consider valuable vantage points.

If they are actual misinformation and propaganda and you are unwilling to even admit existence of that category, then you yourself are threat to freedom - of speech or otherwise.

> I also should point that any defense of the freedom of speech also defends freedom of misinformation and propaganda.

Nah. Defenders of free speech not being willing to criticize misinformation and propaganda, calling those "valuable vantage points" and being quick to criticize and attempt to shut up criticism of those is what is dangerous for free speech.

Pointing out misinformation and propaganda as such is a good thing.

[glogla]

I agree, drowning out normal voices in fake news and bots is as much censorship as banning them outright - it is just a form of censorship that (some) free speech advocates are complicit with.

But the biggest issue in my mind is that fake news, misinformation and bot bullying makes social media money, so they are never going to stop it.

[thesz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiqDZlAZygU

"The answer to the speech is... more speech"

And I agree that this is exactly the problem - winners are who have more energy and opportunity to speak. "Drowning the voices" as you pointed out.

But, how to determine which voice is normal?

Per your suspicion that fake news and misinformation make money, fact checking is alleged to make money to Facebook and fact-checking Facebook affiliates. The links on fact checking materials divert viewers from one arrticles to other and increase clicks and retention at Facebook.

Yes, you are right again - misinformation may bring money to FB, at the very least, when FB tries to fight it. I guess it is a nature of capitalism, to try to make money out of everything.

[thesz]

I think I clearly pointed out that there is misinformation and there is propaganda.

Yet those are classes of speech.

Let me point out that I was answering the call to stop these classes of speech nearly completely, using magic of Twitter and Facebook.