Facebook admits that it hasn’t always been positive for democracy. The product manager for civic engagement of Facebook acknowledged that it has complicated effects on politics through its social networks. In a series of blog posts, Facebook reckoned with the social media giant’s effects on the global political process.
The initial purpose of Facebook was to connect friends and family and they excelled at that. Now unprecedented numbers of people use the network and some channelling their political energy through this medium. We can clearly say that it is being used in unforeseen ways with repercussions to society that no one anticipated. Samidh Chakrabarti the product manager admitted that Facebook was too slow in dealing with threats in 2016.
The outreach director of Facebook’s global politics and government outreach manager,Katie Harbath also acknowledged the potential harm this social networking platform can bring around if left unchecked. The fact that there are some Facebook users who spread fake news has a big political impact. As these fake news and echo chambers get to reach many people which then get to be a problem especially if not attended to.
There are many examples of when the people misuse a tool for good. State lotteries, best online casinos and gambling have for long since been used to finance the building of the empires including the Great Wall of China. Today this privilege is being abused by licensed gambling operators who defraud boththe government and the players.
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter seemed like positive political agents, from the Arab Spring to robust elections around the globe. Well, the last United States presidential campaign changed this assumption. Facebook should have been quicker to identify to rise of fake news.Both Harbaugh and Chakrabarti clearly stressed the fact that Facebook is now committed to stamping out abuse and manipulation of its social media platform.
