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Comment by windexh8er | Hacker News Reader

This type of comment is why K-12 education in the US really needs to start focusing on skills related to disinformation. The example given here is obviously an art vs disinformation/misinformation/psyops. They aren't the same and conflating them doesn't do anyone any good.

Also, Meta does fund these initiatives. They choose who to give money to in these programs. You'd think that money being paid would also mean a higher level of scrutiny. I'm really curious how these conversations play out internal to Meta. Does everyone just pretend this isn't an issue? Seems like there's a lot of great book material that will be dropped in the coming decades as these efforts wear on and break people.

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Are you implying gangster rap wasnt cultivated and pushed to the masses by the large media companies? The only difference between then and now is the technology available and the name of the companies.

It was. But not for the reasons implied. Maybe you'd like some Flat Earth for $1000, Alex?

In real life right now and for many years, we have gangster rappers (or drill or trap, whatever you'd like to call it) who are funded by record companies, broadcasted everywhere, and praised by the mainstream. Including being broadcasted and celebrated by public service stations.

In their records they rap about murdering people and raping women, and also threatening to murder specific individuals or bragging about having done such. Among other things.

They are also active on social media, where they also threaten people with violence and death, or brag about such feats.

And finally they also murder people in real life, or get murdered likewise by their peers.

Now for the same person, expressing themselves the same way but on different platforms. For their record company funded content we say "that's art and free speech", and for their social media posts we say "what have you done, Zuckerberg!?".

> Also, Meta does fund these initiatives. They choose who to give money to in these programs.

You are right. I misunderstood the program to be general payments to all creators of size á la Spotify, but it's an invite-only program.

> In their records they rap about murdering people and raping women, and also threatening to murder specific individuals or bragging about having done such. Among other things.

Ahhh, yes this trope. You do understand their target market, right? There are people that grow up in unfortunate circumstances that live through those lyrics regardless of these music-led influencers you speak of. People relate to those lyrics, it's part of their world view and so, yes, they're being marketed to, quite simply.

Also, why stop here? Let's ban all books that encroach on this topic! Because we all know games, books and music yield nothing but the 80% of all the lyrics you consume. /s (<--- because who knows given the absurdity here)

Gangster rap strengthens it, just like social media posts strengthen movements and actions that might or might not have happened regardless.

> There are people that grow up in unfortunate circumstances that live through those lyrics regardless of these music-led influencers you speak of.

Yes, do you think they enjoy hearing rap music from the gang that murdered or raped one of their family members being blasted, where the rappers brag about murdering and raping people? Then a bunch of people who are comfortably isolated from that kind of violence praise these rappers to the skies, give them industry awards, and so on.

> Also, why stop here? Let's ban all books that encroach on this topic!

Some countries ban music which glorifies violence, but I haven't called out for the ban of anything. I'm making comparisons.

How come people and governments and courts are blasting Instagram for giving young girls eating disorders because models are uploading bikini photos, but at the same time everybody turns a blind eye to music where the artist raps and brags about drugging, raping, beating and murdering women? Or men. When these artists are often guilty of these crimes or strongly affiliated with gangs doing these things.

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