eff.org/deeplinks/2025/01/eff- Since there have been enough comments on why this post isn't that good, maybe it's time to comment on why it's good.

I see quite a bit of discourse on free expression, which is frankly empty. For instance, "if only everyone used the fediverse, then we would live in a socialist utopia" or something, all the while ignoring how Facebook's algorithms censor people here in the real world (the fediverse has inter-instance censorship issues of it's own, although there aren't intrusive algorithms).

Facebook taking concrete steps to avoid relying on algorithms are real steps away from the techno-solutionist dream that Mark Zuckerberg has wrapped himself in for the past ten years (by his account, it might even be the past twenty years). They are not a dream. They are not an abstract concept. They are not a philosophical argument.

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On the other hand, it's hard to ignore the political moves which the company has made. We will have to see what happens. I suspect we might hear more in the coming days.

Making moves to lower the error rates (it's something which several civil society groups have called for for years), and addressing a politician's concerns is one thing (being diplomatic there is his job). Talking of moving to Texas is very specific.

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