Facebook evil -- not even hiding it anymore

[Mr. Analog]

You know though, usually you need to get explicit permission from someone to perform experiments on them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_psychology#Ethics

They debriefed (hence the outrage), no actual harm done, etc...

[Tom]

Yah. They claim no harm done. but the psyche is a complex beast. You start making a depressed person's feed lonely and depressing, @%&#'s gonna happen.

[Mr. Analog]

Yah. They claim no harm done. but the psyche is a complex beast. You start making a depressed person's feed lonely and depressing, @%&#'s gonna happen.

If someone can prove that damage was done in a court of law then Facebook would have to take responsibility for that action, but I'm going to guess that the risk of that is extremely low. Particularly since they are claiming ignorance for a non-criminal act.

[Tom]

Just because it can't be proven legally, doesn't mean you should do it

Actions and concequences. If DEATH is ok to you as a result of a silly experiment, maybe you should take a step back.

[Mr. Analog]

Just because it can't be proven legally, doesn't mean you should do it

That's true, then again, if you are doing something that can't be proven harmful it doesn't mean you shouldn't

Actions and concequences. If DEATH is ok to you as a result of a silly experiment, maybe you should take a step back.

If death occurs and liability is proven in a court of law then yeah, I think they should.

But the reality is if someone say, commits suicide over the experiment, the following civil case would be an extremely difficult and lengthy (expensive!) one to prove by the Prosecution. Things that would call the Prosecution's case into question such as the medical history of the deceased prior to the incident, how prone to suicide they were, etc, would be ample fodder for the Defence.

:shrug:

[Tom]

I really don't care and don't think the enforceability should have anything to do with it. Just because it isn't a risk for them, doesn't mean they shouldn't consider the consequences.

Too many people in big corporate cultures forget their humanity. They are insulated by the company, because most times, there are no real consequences. I think that is bad.

This is just one of those cases. They thought it was a cool idea, and thats about as far they thought through it.

[Darren Dirt]

Yah. They claim no harm done. but the psyche is a complex beast. You start making a depressed person's feed lonely and depressing, @%&#'s gonna happen.

Heck even just from the perspective of shareholders and profit impact, the damage to the TRUST of the public at large vis. Facebook, that's a pretty serious faux pas. Not even thinking about the possible harm of emotionally vulnerable kids who mighta been part of the experiment or others like it (or heck some might even THINK they were part of it, amplifying their paranoia, social anxiety, etc. who knows...) "With Great Power..."

Just because it isn't a risk for them, doesn't mean they shouldn't consider the consequences.

Too many people in big corporate cultures forget their humanity. They are insulated by the company, because most times, there are no real consequences.

Exactly.

[Mr. Analog]

It's not always so clear though, imagine running a business and having someone come out of (apparently) nowhere saying that you did them harm. You can either settle with them directly if you agree or take it to court.

The legal side of business is why I didn't jump on the app-writing bandwagon a lot of my friends did back when the MacBook Pro came out, the legal side of it is terrifying. Some nut could claim you caused them harm from something that you weren't even aware was a thing (because we're not all walking medical / legal encyclopedias) and not only ruin your business but your life. No thanks. As much as it stinks there are laws about this kind of stuff that work for both sides.

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

[Tom]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

[Mr. Analog]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

[Tom]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

Totally. And a big corporation can influence a lot of people.

[Darren Dirt]

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

...makes me think of this paradoxical truth...

[Mr. Analog]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

Totally. And a big corporation can influence a lot of people.

... a big corporation is MADE of people!

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

...makes me think of this paradoxical truth...

So tru haha

[Tom]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

Totally. And a big corporation can influence a lot of people.

... a big corporation is MADE of people!

Maybe, maybe not. It acts more like a monolithic entity of its own, and in the US, it IS A PERSON! OMG!

[Mr. Analog]

But the Big Corporate Entity is Always Wrong and Always to Blame

Of course it isnt. But it does insulate people from thinking as a rational human being.

Agent K: A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.

Totally. And a big corporation can influence a lot of people.

... a big corporation is MADE of people!

Maybe, maybe not. It acts more like a monolithic entity of its own, and in the US, it IS A PERSON! OMG!

I'm confused now because the legal fiction of treating corporations as "persons" is what allows people to sue corporations in the United States.