With all the noise from critics that Apple should save humanity from smartphone addiction comes Facebook. Mallory Locklear:
Facebook has decided to explore the question of whether social media is good for democracy. The last US presidential election brought that question to the fore of many people’s minds, directly or indirectly, as it became clear that fake news and meddling by foreign actors played not insignificant roles.
Do Facebook executives have a conscience? Facebook’s Katie Harbath:
We’re as determined as ever to fight the negative influences and ensure that our platform is unquestionably a source for democratic good… There is much to build on in this regard, from the powerful role social media plays in giving people a voice in the democratic process to its ability to deliver information on an unprecedented scale.
Execuspeak, of course, but it seems like an admission that Facebook is a publisher!