Facebook releases ads advocating for more privacy regulations | Hacker News Reader

Facebook releases ads advocating for more privacy regulations

6 pointsDiesel5554 comments

Facebook's website linked in the ads which mentions section 230: https://about.facebook.com/regulations/

I have now seen multiple ads on how Facebook wants more regulation on privacy. The ads imply that without regulation other companies won't handle privacy as well as Facebook does. Below is one of the ads, but the one I watched (and can't find) talks more about regulations to help other companies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV79Dvwqo9Y

Of note, they want regulators to change section 230, which was created before MySpace, and has been interpreted to treat social media companies as "interactive computer services" rather than "content providers." The status quo protects Facebook from lawsuits, so I don't see the benefit outside of a PR campaign. I am for updating section 230 specifically because of Facebook's externalities, so I don't get the angle.

Besides looking like Facebook cares about privacy, why are they advocating for this?

You ever consider that the truth is pretty simple and fb does actually care about privacy?

It also creates a moat for them as implementing privacy well is expensive.

Of course they do. They care about their privacy, just not mine or yours.

There are several angles. Democrat, Republican, and Facebook.

Democrats want section 230 gone because it allows them to hold social media liable for disinformation.

Republicans want to amend section 230 to protect misinformation that they post.

Facebook doesn't want anything to change, but because Democrats policy would be more costly for Facebook and Democrats control the government, Facebook is for "strengthening" (keeping) section 230. Until Republicans are in charge, then Facebook will be against changing it again. Facebook just needs to placate all the Republicans and trick (buy) a few democrats to protect the status quo.

There's a pretty simple economic explanation I think. Large companies actually benefit from regulation. It mires small and agile competitors in legal paperwork and red tape, giving your slow behemoth bureaucracy time to react, perhaps crushing them or acquiring them. Imagine if Myspace had the benefit of GDPR and CCPA regulations, Mark Zuckerberg may have given up on Facebook while coding his first cookie consent form.

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