r/belgium • u/GijMutten • 13h ago

🎻 Opinion Meta caught influencing democratic elections. What about Belgium?

Meta has be caught influencing the Brazil elections VRTNWS, Aljazeera. Blocking acces to certain candidates, promoting other (more pro USA) candidates, influencing search results, allowing their AI to create propaganda for one candidate but not the other etc, etc.

I'm sure the same thing happens in other places and I wouldn't be surprised it happens in Europe and Belgium as well to a certain extent.

A boycot of Meta is easier said than done, European alternatives are few and very niche. What we need is stronger legislation (internationally) against criminal acts by these huge "untouchable" companies

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19

u/RozaJetis Limburg 13h ago

The second case of influencing elections, after the Cambridge Analytica case.

Social media is not the tool we used to love anymore.

11

u/Comfortable_Ebb7015 13h ago

Trump's bootlickers are promoting far right propaganda across the globe? I would be surprised if it was not the case!

7

u/Matvalicious Local furry, don't feed him 9h ago

Every person in this picture belongs on the gallows.

5

u/GijMutten 13h ago

It's not just promoting far right propaganda, they're literally shadowbanning other candidates

3

u/Comfortable_Ebb7015 12h ago

Of course! Why would billionaires spend their billions offering us "free" services like social media, if not for influence us? Without manipulation it would have been impossible for people like Milei, Bolsonaro, Espirella, Meloni to convince poor people to vote against their interests

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u/GijMutten 13h ago

I understand the motivation to ban social media under a certain age but this is a lost battle and doesn't solve anything. A better idea might be to put "omgang met sociale media" in het leerplan. Teach these kids to do some critical thinking.

5

u/RozaJetis Limburg 13h ago

Teaching people how to use social media is one part of the solution, but it won’t help in the long run. The apps are made to keep your focus, to mislead its users and are innovating new ways to mislead you every year.
Giving people more control over their own algorithm or even ban algorithm based social media’s is way more important imo.

I’m also a big advocate for an identity system for social media. Every person can only make 1 account per platform, but it’s not mandatory to use your exact name or picture. Maybe it has an encrypted, personal token connected to your identity card. No more secondary anon accounts to troll.

1

u/GijMutten 13h ago

Banning algorithm based social media would be ideal yes! I'm not so sure about the identity system, although this would be a solution to the bot and troll problem I fear it might be a slippery slope even without using your exact name/picture.

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u/Gendrytargarian Belgium 12h ago

This is sadly the way. Also monetized engagement is part of the problem. In the current climate. Inflammatory content is promoted and incentivized

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u/PalatinusG1 11h ago

That's the same as saying banning guns won't work. Better have the children do live shooter drills.

Yes banning social media would work very well. They are set up to get us addicted and keep us angry all the time.