Did social media make the world a better place or worse?

[sweep_shot]

Social media is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can allow people to contribute to positive and noble causes. On the other hand, it can allow people to get away with sinister activities (terrorism, toxic politics etc.).

Question is, did social media make the world a better place or worse? Another question is, should social media be regulated?

Let's not forget social media helped with the rise of ISIS (they used to recruit from social media). It was also responsible for the rise of far-right and far-left. Social media has also contributed to increase in online bullying.

Discuss.

 

[MenInG]

Going by this - Worse!

===


Facebook has said it will block a Frenchman suffering with a rare and incurable disease from livestreaming his death on the platform.

Alain Cocq, who has lived with a degenerative disease for 34 years, has stopped eating, drinking and has not taken his medication since Friday night.

The 57-year-old said he would livestream his death on social media after President Emmanuel Macron turned down his request for euthanasia.

In a video from his medicalised bed at home in Dijon, eastern France, he said: "So I have finished my last meal... I drink to your health one last time.

"The road to deliverance begins and, believe me, I am happy. I have made up my mind and I am at peace."

He added: "Yes, I know what awaits me will be difficult. But you know, compared to all I've been through and what awaits me, the deterioration of my body which I'll be going through, in fact it doesn't matter to me.

"It will be hard to handle, I agree, but in the end it won't be much compared to what I've been through."

But Facebook said it block him livestreaming his death, saying its rules forbid any users from portraying suicide.

"Although we respect his decision to want to draw attention to this complex question, following expert advice we have taken measures to prevent the live broadcast on Alain's account," a spokesperson told the AFP news agency.

"Our rules do not allow us to show suicide attempts."

Mr Cocq had written to Mr Macron asking to be given a sedative to allow him to die in peace, but the president wrote back to him explaining this was not allowed under French law.

Neighbouring countries including Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands have adopted laws that allow medically-assisted dying in some cases.

However, France has refrained from taking that step, partly due to pressure from the Catholic Church.

"Because I am not above the law, I am not able to comply with your request," Mr Macron wrote in his reply, which Mr Cocq published on his Facebook page.

"Your wish is to request active assistance in dying which is not currently permitted in our country," the president added.

The Claeys-Leonetti law on the end of life, adopted in 2016, authorises deep sedation - but it is only eligible for patients whose prognosis is threatened in the short-term.

Mr Cocq has called for a change to French law to allow medically-assisted dying in cases such as his.

He was fed by a drip and his digestive system connected to a colostomy bag.

His condition has caused brain aneurysms and he experiences convulsions if he does not take his medicine, and he claims to be in constant pain.

Mr Macron included a handwritten postscript to his letter, which read: "With all my personal support and profound respect."

https://news.sky.com/story/facebook...disease-from-livestreaming-his-death-12064418

 

[JaDed]

Its not black and white ..

 

[Robert]

Unquestionably worse.

We see the flight from science and reason, the proliferation of nonsensical conspiracy theories which compromise public health, interference in the political process by big data harvesters and the rise of neofascists across the West. Time was that racists could not reach each other but now they can. It makes me weep to see the same antisemitic propaganda tropes applied by Nazi Germany repeated by young socialists.

Social media is turning the clock back to the darkest times in European history.

 

[sweep_shot]

Social media should be banned. Only keep the charity websites like LaunchGood, GoFundMe etc.

Alternatively, regulate social media more. Have some strict and decisive social media laws.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

I used to love the concept of forums in early 2000s and still love them. I don't post on twitter, fb, insta or other social platforms. For me they are useless. And the reason they are useless is because of some jaahil and intolerable people from my country who will start abusing you or your mother and sisters when you post something they don't like.

 

[JaDed]

I think discord is pretty good, it has the social media ability along with good moderation depending upon the server and mods.

Its somewhere in between and have to say kinda hooked to it, best of both worlds..

Asking social media to be restricted in western worlds would probably mean in the future you can’t have freedom of opinion on various subjects, esp to criticize the govn.

 

[sweep_shot]

Unquestionably worse.

We see the flight from science and reason, the proliferation of nonsensical conspiracy theories which compromise public health, interference in the political process by big data harvesters and the rise of neofascists across the West. Time was that racists could not reach each other but now they can. It makes me weep to see the same antisemitic propaganda tropes applied by Nazi Germany repeated by young socialists.

Social media is turning the clock back to the darkest times in European history.

Social media gave us far-right and ISIS. It also gave us far-left (equally despicable as far-right).

Social media is poisonous like junk food.

 

[sweep_shot]

Asking social media to be restricted in western worlds would probably mean in the future you can’t have freedom of opinion on various subjects, esp to criticize the govn.

I didn't mention western world. LOL. You constantly have to bring this up. I was saying in general.

For the record, I am fine without social media. I can spend my time playing video games and doing other productive things.

Also, I support regulating social media more (instead of banning).

 

[JaDed]

I think discord is pretty good, it has the social media ability along with good moderation depending upon the server and mods.

Its somewhere in between and have to say kinda hooked to it, best of both worlds..

Asking social media to be restricted in western worlds would probably mean in the future you can’t have freedom of opinion on various subjects, esp to criticize the govn.

[MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] maybe in future you guys can have a Pakpassion server on discord as well , since it can be moderated ..

 

[JaDed]

I didn't mention western world. LOL. You constantly have to bring this up. I was saying in general.

For the record, I am fine without social media. I can spend my time playing video games and doing other productive things.

Also, I support regulating social media more (instead of banning).

That would be even worse considering African and Asian dictatorial need to kill freedom of speech among its citizens..

 

[CricketCartoons]

Not just social media, but mainstream media too. Prefer an orwellian state any day over this horse pukky called freedom of speech.

 

[JaDed]

Not just social media, but mainstream media too. Prefer an orwellian state any day over this horse pukky called freedom of speech.

China?

 

[Bigboii]

Not just social media, but mainstream media too. Prefer an orwellian state any day over this horse pukky called freedom of speech.

 

[sweep_shot]

[MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] maybe in future you guys can have a Pakpassion server on discord as well , since it can be moderated ..

Discord is a heaven for far-right. I know this because I used to spy on 4Chan and 8Chan. They have these radical groups on Discord, Telegram etc.

Discord is one app I want to see regulated.

 

[Technics 1210]

I think discord is pretty good, it has the social media ability along with good moderation depending upon the server and mods.

Its somewhere in between and have to say kinda hooked to it, best of both worlds..

Asking social media to be restricted in western worlds would probably mean in the future you can’t have freedom of opinion on various subjects, esp to criticize the govn.

www.gab.com

Website is blocked by most search engines, and the app is banned.

Right now, there is no freedom of opinion on social media. All the SM companies filter and police content. Gab does not. Hence banned.

 

[sweep_shot]

www.gab.com

Website is blocked by most search engines, and the app is banned.

Right now, there is no freedom of opinion on social media. All the SM companies filter and police content. Gab does not. Hence banned.

Gab is a far-right platform. No?

Plenty of anti-Muslim users there if I remember correctly.

 

[JaDed]

www.gab.com

Website is blocked by most search engines, and the app is banned.

Right now, there is no freedom of opinion on social media. All the SM companies filter and police content. Gab does not. Hence banned.

Thanks will do.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Unquestionably worse.

We see the flight from science and reason, the proliferation of nonsensical conspiracy theories which compromise public health, interference in the political process by big data harvesters and the rise of neofascists across the West. Time was that racists could not reach each other but now they can. It makes me weep to see the same antisemitic propaganda tropes applied by Nazi Germany repeated by young socialists.

Social media is turning the clock back to the darkest times in European history.

Pretty much this.

It's worst impact is the promotion and celebration of everything that should be discouraged - vanity, narcissism, and the complete eradication of critic amongst most people.

Gonne come off hella geeky here lol, but I still find it mindboggling that Metal Gear Solid 2, relased in 2001, was able to absolutely NAIL how bad an impact its had.

I mean its pretty much describing twitter lol.

 

[PetroDollars]

Its made finding customers for a business pretty easy, anyone can now give up there job and work from home, unfortunatly most people like to be spoon fed.

 

[Robert]

Not just social media, but mainstream media too. Prefer an orwellian state any day over this horse pukky called freedom of speech.

Then you have not lived in an Orwellian state. Say the wrong thing in one of those and you disappear forever.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Then you have not lived in an Orwellian state. Say the wrong thing in one of those and you disappear forever.

If I break the law, I will bear the consequences. Won't go like the hoodie thugs and the anarchists burning down businesses and creating nuisance.

 

[Technics 1210]

Gab is a far-right platform. No?

Plenty of anti-Muslim users there if I remember correctly.

Not sure, I suspect so.

The thing is, when the left suppress the voices of those who do not agree with them, the only option is to setup shop elsewhere.

If authorities really wanted to crack down on far-right etc, then the only way is to hear them, not close them down.

This is why we are seeing a rise in right-wing views - simply because the left will not listen and resort to name-calling. Irony is the liberals have never won a thing.

 

[Technics 1210]

@OP

Social media has benefits.

1. Family connections/information. Sharing pics, vids, info - you know the stuff that used to take years is now instant.

2. Education. Kids can learn with ease now. No need to go to the library, all info at your finger tips.

3. Exposing the realities of world: such as Zionism and how World Wars were all setup for the sake of Israel, or how central banks control society etc. Or how Iraq war was an outright lie.

If it wasn't for the Social media we'd still be subservient to the Zionist controlled media; who knows how the Blake incident would've been percieved had we only the newspaper and TV channels. This is why Governments shut down social media sites, cos they can't control the message.

Saying this, the one thing for sure is that we do not know what is the truth anymore when it come to the news. We're all reporters with our smartphones.

 

[sweep_shot]

Not sure, I suspect so.

The thing is, when the left suppress the voices of those who do not agree with them, the only option is to setup shop elsewhere.

If authorities really wanted to crack down on far-right etc, then the only way is to hear them, not close them down.

This is why we are seeing a rise in right-wing views - simply because the left will not listen and resort to name-calling. Irony is the liberals have never won a thing.

Gab was created after Trump supporters started to get banned from different platforms. It gave them a platform to propagate their materials. There are many different groups on it however it is mainly for right-wing people.

I agree with you when you say we have to hear them. But, if they are planning terror attacks (like they used to do on 8Chan), that needs to be stopped right away. Some of these people want one thing and that's to throw minorities (Muslims specially) out of the country.

Again, my thread was referring to these extreme people who use social media as weapons.

 

[sweep_shot]

@OP

Social media has benefits.

1. Family connections/information. Sharing pics, vids, info - you know the stuff that used to take years is now instant.

2. Education. Kids can learn with ease now. No need to go to the library, all info at your finger tips.

3. Exposing the realities of world: such as Zionism and how World Wars were all setup for the sake of Israel, or how central banks control society etc. Or how Iraq war was an outright lie.

If it wasn't for the Social media we'd still be subservient to the Zionist controlled media; who knows how the Blake incident would've been percieved had we only the newspaper and TV channels. This is why Governments shut down social media sites, cos they can't control the message.

Saying this, the one thing for sure is that we do not know what is the truth anymore when it come to the news. We're all reporters with our smartphones.

Social media definitely has some positives and I myself get benefited from social media as I learn many cool things from YouTube, Facebook etc. I also learned about evil of central banks and Zionists from social media.

Having said that, there has been an increase in fake news. We have to inspect really hard to distinguish truth from falsehood.

All in all, I believe there can be more laws in place for cyber criminals and online bullies. I want to see a change in that regard.