"Every tweak to the technology that powers the News Feed has consequences for the people and businesses that attempt to harness it to win people’s attention. Along with this power comes a growing tension over how decisions get made about what information belongs in that feed. News organizations, many of which have seen their businesses decimated — or bolstered — as their readers turn to Facebook for headlines, express concern that Facebook acts as a giant managing editor of the web." https://backchannel.com/facebooks-news-feed-turns-10-cddfc1a4f0fb?source=lin... Regards, Nanjira. Sent on the move.
On 10 Sep 2016, at 11:00, kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke wrote:
Send kictanet mailing list submissions to kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to kictanet-request@lists.kictanet.or.ke
You can reach the person managing the list at kictanet-owner@lists.kictanet.or.ke
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of kictanet digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Re: The Tricky Power in Facebook's Hands... (Tony White)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1 Date: Sat, 10 Sep 2016 09:47:54 +0300 From: Tony White <tony.mzungu@gmail.com> To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Cc: Ebele Okobi <ebeleokobi@fb.com>, Nanjira Sambuli <email@nanjira.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Tricky Power in Facebook's Hands... Message-ID: <CANpB6uCQ4O4j-hHmNQ8rtWN9RTETzgL2Dw4P_G2ux8438jd4Vw@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
This is a thorny issue! Everything written is offensive to somebody. If I express a religious view, or a political view, there are bound to be others having an opposing view. This is normal. But if my view is grossly offensive to the majority, should it be 'removed'? How can any algorithm make these choices? ...And if the majority view suppresses all minority views, are we not advocating totalitarianism?
More questions than answers, I'm afraid.
Have an inoffensive weekend, people ;)
Tony
On 10/09/2016, Ebele Okobi via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-37318040
Facebook says it will allow an iconic photograph of a girl fleeing a Napalm attack taken during the Vietnam war in 1972 to be used on its platform.
It had previously removed the image, posted by a Norwegian author, on the grounds that it contained nudity.
The move sparked a debate about Facebook's role as an editor.
The editor of Norway's largest newspaper had written an open letter to Facebook's chief Mark Zuckerberg calling the ban "an abuse of power".
The tech giant said it had "listened to the community" and acknowledged the "global importance" of the photo.
"Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal, so we have decided to reinstate the image on Facebook where we are aware it has been removed," it said in a statement.
"It will take some time to adjust these systems but the photo should be available for sharing in the coming days.
"We are always looking to improve our policies to make sure they both promote free expression and keep our community safe."
[Aftenposten editor and Napalm girl photo]Image copyrightAFTENPOSTEN/NICK UTImage captionEspen Egil Hansen is editor of Aftenposten, Norway's largest newspaper.
Facebook says it will allow an iconic photograph of a girl fleeing a Napalm attack taken during the Vietnam war in 1972 to be used on its platform.
It had previously removed the image, posted by a Norwegian author, on the grounds that it contained nudity.
The move sparked a debate about Facebook's role as an editor.
The editor of Norway's largest newspaper had written an open letter to Facebook's chief Mark Zuckerberg calling the ban "an abuse of power".
The tech giant said it had "listened to the community" and acknowledged the "global importance" of the photo.
"Because of its status as an iconic image of historical importance, the value of permitting sharing outweighs the value of protecting the community by removal, so we have decided to reinstate the image on Facebook where we are aware it has been removed," it said in a statement.
"It will take some time to adjust these systems but the photo should be available for sharing in the coming days.
"We are always looking to improve our policies to make sure they both promote free expression and keep our community safe."
[Erna Solberg]Image copyrightGETTY IMAGESImage captionNorwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said it demonstrated the power of social media.
The Norwegian prime minister - who had earlier posted a copy of the photo on Facebook herself only to see it removed - welcomed the U-turn.
"That's very good, I'm a happy prime minister," Erna Solberg told BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight programme.
"It shows that using social media can make [a] political change even in social media."
Tom Egeland, the author whose Facebook account had been suspended over the affair, also expressed his pleasure.
"Now I'm happy!" he tweeted<https://twitter.com/tomegeland/status/774312424031879168>.
"This does not alter at all the difficult issues that involve Facebook and the Norwegian media. But tonight I'm just happy."
Tech or media?
But Espen Egil Hansen - the editor of Aftenposten, who had brought the issue to prominence - said he still had concerns.
"When it comes to this photo specifically I would say that it was a sensible decision by Facebook. That's what we editors have to do sometimes - realise that we made a mistake and change our minds," he wrote in Norwegian on the newspaper's site<http://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/Facebook-snur-om-Vietnam-bildet-604244b.html>.
"But the main point of my article, and the point that I have asked Mark Zuckerberg to engage in, is the debate about Facebook's power that results from so much information going through its channels. And that still stands.
"He should begin to take part in this discussion, for there are no simple solutions. Facebook must recognise that it has become an information filter - and that raises problematic issues."
Last month, Mr Zuckerberg told an Italian audience that he did not want his firm to become a news editor.
"No, we are a tech company, not a media company," he said<http://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-zuckerberg-idUSKCN1141WN?utm_source=Daily+Lab+email+list&utm_campaign=107c14838f-dailylabemail3&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d68264fd5e-107c14838f-395963781>.
"The world needs news companies, but also technology platforms, like what we do, and we take our role in this very seriously."
Ebele Okobi | Public Policy Director, Africa m. +44 (0) 771 156 1315<tel:+44%20(0)%20771%20156%201315> 10 Brock Street | London<x-apple-data-detectors://0/1> | NW1 3FG ebeleokobi@fb.com<mailto:ebeleokobi@fb.com>
[6F376569-CC77-422B-BAD3-794055B1E02B]
On Sep 10, 2016, at 6:20 AM, Nanjira Sambuli via kictanet <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>> wrote:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/08/facebook-mark-zuckerberg-napalm-girl-photo-vietnam-war<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theguardian.com_technology_2016_sep_08_facebook-2Dmark-2Dzuckerberg-2Dnapalm-2Dgirl-2Dphoto-2Dvietnam-2Dwar&d=DQMCaQ&c=5VD0RTtNlTh3ycd41b3MUw&r=ArvepG4_wcNu_X9xi3nb_Xa9WsGLVfmK6mwPdVONOTE&m=IUfDbFCh8dUEJ0iyXugtDi6l2ovxKMldUJnxljATFxA&s=uxPwBMQSkBv9kWc7MFDUquQmK9N8ii_aaY9r4IXi_l0&e=> 2. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/09/facebook-deletes-norway-pms-post-napalm-girl-post-row?CMP=fb_gu<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theguardian.com_technology_2016_sep_09_facebook-2Ddeletes-2Dnorway-2Dpms-2Dpost-2Dnapalm-2Dgirl-2Dpost-2Drow-3FCMP-3Dfb-5Fgu&d=DQMCaQ&c=5VD0RTtNlTh3ycd41b3MUw&r=ArvepG4_wcNu_X9xi3nb_Xa9WsGLVfmK6mwPdVONOTE&m=IUfDbFCh8dUEJ0iyXugtDi6l2ovxKMldUJnxljATFxA&s=8gd_B_sW3vArlPR-lhnpXG_d36KeP9yB49gjTu0ZzyE&e=>
Regards, Nanjira.
Sent on the move. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke<mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__lists.kictanet.or.ke_mailman_listinfo_kictanet&d=DQICAg&c=5VD0RTtNlTh3ycd41b3MUw&r=ArvepG4_wcNu_X9xi3nb_Xa9WsGLVfmK6mwPdVONOTE&m=IUfDbFCh8dUEJ0iyXugtDi6l2ovxKMldUJnxljATFxA&s=GLRWQixdiV-V5kkvYIbNbOec5psGmlMFdsXo71Oq5yU&e=
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__lists.kictanet.or.ke_mailman_options_kictanet_ebeleokobi-2540fb.com&d=DQICAg&c=5VD0RTtNlTh3ycd41b3MUw&r=ArvepG4_wcNu_X9xi3nb_Xa9WsGLVfmK6mwPdVONOTE&m=IUfDbFCh8dUEJ0iyXugtDi6l2ovxKMldUJnxljATFxA&s=0ePGjcukbULDSvtvCkBq5MCzyNMre_3ISAJ8iBakGcQ&e=
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Tony White
------------------------------
Subject: Digest Footer
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
------------------------------
End of kictanet Digest, Vol 112, Issue 28 *****************************************