In many cases, to me, the good the rich do does not nearly weigh in for their wrongdoings.
In many cases, to me, the good the rich do does not nearly weigh in for their wrongdoings.
1) Zuckerberg didn't "take" wealth. He created it.
2) Governments don't have particular insight into the best ways to spend resources. We spent a couple of decades comparing market economies with command economies, and market economies won.
Well, Myspace was kinda destroyed in the process. So let's call it reshaping, refactoring and some creation.
So yea, I'd probably stick with "took wealth".
2) Facebook is a weapon deployed against the integrity of human personality. Does facebook quality as wealth considering that it is a destructive force?
The market shifted from radio, newspaper and television to web advertising. 20 years ago the $500M that Zuck donated would have otherwise went to an aristocratic media owning family empire. I prefer it going to somebody who has created new value and who will be putting the money to better use. Simply spending and gifting the money is a better use than hoarding it and establishing a genetic dynasty.
The argument about Facebook being a weapon against human development and integrity is the same argument that luddites (and the Amish) made against radio, television, the telephone and many other new inventions.
95% of the people that I know in my life, and 100% of the career moves I have made in my life were through people that I met online. The difference is that I was technical enough to know how to use IRC, how to use early blogs, etc. Facebook is simple and accessible, and allows the other 99% of the world population to take advantage of the same networking technology to enhance their lives.
That's a lot of value to me. When I share something there, it has the broadest reach of real-world friends on any social network, but that's my personal experience.
Facebook is not a weapon. It's a product, definitely, and a medium to some degree. A corporate and focused vision of the internet, sure.
A weapon? No.
Some of the worlds police agencies are evil. Whenever you use Facebook to share photos or some other personal information you are equipping potentially evil police agencies with a potent weapon that can be used against you and your friends.
I've not experienced Facebook used as a form of oppression against me and my friends. If I did, I would immediately alert them... on Facebook.
As far as streaming facial recognition data to various agencies - source? Do they comply with various legal orders? Most definitely. Do they send all of their data to police agencies? I highly doubt it.
Definitely agree with your point 2.