Online political activists fret about Facebook bias
posted at 7:17 pm on May 24, 2011 by Tina Korbe
Online political activists say they perceive a bias in the way Facebook administrators have distributed a new software key, The Daily Caller reports:
Facebook’s managers are deploying a new software upgrade that will dismantle myriad groups of like-minded political activists unless they get a special software key from the company.
But Facebook managers are providing very limited information about which groups are being favored with the new key, prompting some activists to complain about possible political favoritism among Facebook managers, and many other activists to experiment with techniques and tricks to get the needed upgrade-key.
Some small anecdotal evidence suggests the bias might be real. Groups like “The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence,” the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s open group and “Labor Express Radio” all received the key, but “Stop Islamization of America” and “The Coalition to Save Marriage in New York” didn’t, for example. Then, too, Facebook execs have been known to state their support for liberal causes and candidates.
But mostly, it’s Facebook’s lack of transparency about the upgrade process that leaves room for suspicion. The company could eliminate the speculation with a simple explanation of the criteria to receive the new key. According to a statement from Andrew Noyes, the company’s manager for public policy, Facebook determined what groups to archive (i.e. what groups would not receive the new key) based on “a number of factors, including amount of recent activity.” But some groups with just a few thousand members have received the upgrade while larger and more active groups — even groups with up to nearly 1 million members — haven’t.
Fortunately, the upgrade doesn’t affect the “Pages” feature, and Facebook has encouraged groups to convert their content to a page. Which reminds me — If you like HotAir.com, would you take a minute to visit our page and fan us on Facebook? Regardless of whether the company actually distributes software keys with political motivations in mind, it can’t hurt Mark Zuckerberg and the other Obama fans at Facebook to know how many of us have a different mindset!
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I seriously cannot take it anymore. I feel like everything I stand for is being attacked on all sides with no end in site.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
gophergirl on November 26, 2012 at 8:35 PM
Get started on it. Another 2010, 2014.
2014 another 2010
2014 another 2010
Make it happen.
petefrt on November 26, 2012 at 8:39 PM
Keep them fed and supplied with whatever mindless gadgets and trinkets keep such dolts aroused, they will do whatever Bark tells them to do.
Reminds me of those Russian youth groups, Nashi, that are supported by the government and blindly do whatever is ordered of them. It’s coming here too.
Bishop on November 26, 2012 at 8:40 PM
Community Organizing.
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on November 26, 2012 at 8:41 PM
***** ALERT *******
2 men sentenced in Fast and Furious gun case
By BRIAN SKOLOFF
— Nov. 26 8:33 PM EST
*********************
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2-men-sentenced-fast-and-furious-gun-case
canopfor on November 26, 2012 at 8:43 PM
Indeed. Demagoguery refined to a science.
Lethal.
But either we surrender or we learn how to defeat it. Sorry, guys, the rules of the high road have been replaced by the rules of war.
petefrt on November 26, 2012 at 8:46 PM
*************** TOGETHER WE THRIVE *******************
(sarc).
canopfor on November 26, 2012 at 8:46 PM
One thing I would encourage people to do is no matter how you feel about the national RNC, to locate and join your local county GOP committee. The county committees are separate from the national committee and get zero financial support from them. They are responsible for locating and supporting candidates for things like county supervisors/commissioners, city councils, mayors, school boards, local judges, planning commissions, etc. WAY fewer than 1% of the people who are registered voters for the party are members of their local county committee. Many of these local elections are very sparsely attended and it can make a huge difference in your local area if you get involved and start networking with the people around you. School boards are a particularly big issue with me.
Find your local committee, join. Dues for mine are $35 a year which is less than it costs me to take the family to one movie. Get involved, turn up at events, network with folks in your community. Moaning to people thousands of miles away isn’t going to fix much. Use the resources we already have to better advantage. Get people to turn out for these small local elections and you can make a huge difference.
This can be done from the bottom up. Local politicians often go to state offices and from there to national offices. Seriously, your local county is one place to start.
crosspatch on November 26, 2012 at 8:47 PM
It’s OK…
… Come 2014 and 2016, the GOP ruling class elite will just hire some consultants to run the campaign.
Landslide….!
/
Seven Percent Solution on November 26, 2012 at 8:49 PM
There was a story just like this after the 2008 election. The text messages to the 20somethings was going to mobilize them to support Obama on anything and everything. But then it faded away.
myrenovations on November 26, 2012 at 8:49 PM
the greatest cult in US History needs enemies to feed itself.
rob verdi on November 26, 2012 at 8:49 PM
Just gearing up for the King’s third term.
JPeterman on November 26, 2012 at 8:54 PM
The Obama Youth are forming. Soon they will report their parents’, relatives’ and friends’ transgressions so that the re-education can begin.
obladioblada on November 26, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Or maybe it was massive voter fraud using the early voting method to stuff bogus ballots into a crooked system of supine GOP lackeys who would never challenge anything.
profitsbeard on November 26, 2012 at 8:55 PM
More Obama phones!
Colorado Anne on November 26, 2012 at 8:56 PM
Obama to issue a temporary decree..
That should do it.
Electrongod on November 26, 2012 at 9:00 PM
High tech continuous lying is all it is to imbeciles who are intellectually lazy.
gsherin on November 26, 2012 at 9:01 PM
GOP needs to do the same thing instead of waiting 60 days before the election.
Tasha on November 26, 2012 at 9:02 PM
And, after Obama won, you turn on each other, shooting inside the tent, and those still standing and with the media’s ear, run to the nearest microphone and start capitulating and attacking their own voters. They start spouting democrat talking points.
And Obama and big bird laugh at you.
You kill yourselves. Nevermind the Obama/Axelrod Chicago Machine.
BedBug on November 26, 2012 at 9:03 PM
In general the Chinese made Iphone is the gadget of the day for the proper liberal. How fitting.
CW on November 26, 2012 at 9:03 PM
….. and America gets hosed. The takers, moochers, and cheaters win.
CW on November 26, 2012 at 9:05 PM
It’s easy to maintain a full-time “ground game” network when its primarily comprised of essentially paid government dependents (unemployed, on welfare, “disabled”, over-aged professional students, government employees, union thugs, et. al.) — the party of children.
Meanwhile, the party of adults is comprised primarily of those too busy raising families and productively contributing to the private economy.
We just can’t compete in an era where, for an apparent majority, shame is dead …
ShainS on November 26, 2012 at 9:06 PM
True.
But, you can’t blame Obama for people like John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Saxby Chambliss, and Bob Corker. They are selling you out.
BedBug on November 26, 2012 at 9:08 PM
yes, Team Obama’s so greeeeeeaaaaaaat! they had to resort to voter fraud in Philly and Cleveland to win.
But on to more important matters, why the F did Andy Reid fire his D coordinator in the middle of the season? They were a top 10 D.
Slade73 on November 26, 2012 at 9:09 PM
You are confused.
You speak of the Occupy Wall Street crowd..
Electrongod on November 26, 2012 at 9:09 PM
Good suggestions, to which I’d add getting elected to your local precinct committee. Most of those go unfilled for the same reasons as you mentioned.
Here are a couple links I saved for just such a purpose:
Think Precinct Committeemen Are Local Drudges? Think Again.
The Precinct Project’s Blog
PatriotGal2257 on November 26, 2012 at 9:11 PM
‘Toon of the Day 2: Obama Power
Resist We Much on November 26, 2012 at 9:11 PM
Is anything I’m saying untrue? Are your side’s “statesmen” that are on every Sunday show every weekend not talking amnesty, breaking Norquist’s contract, and raising taxes?
I’m just saying…you stopped them when Bush and McCain were trying to shove amnesty on you, will you fight this too?
BedBug on November 26, 2012 at 9:14 PM
and Ed Morissey backs Amnesty. You’re right BedBug. They’re all a bunch of idiots. Not as stoopid as Dems mind you, but stupid nonetheless.
Slade73 on November 26, 2012 at 9:16 PM
not yet
Slade73 on November 26, 2012 at 9:18 PM
I was talking about elected officials shooting in the tent, not the folks around here, though some here do occasionally pee in the tent. But, Ed is a huge voice on the blogging right. And, he should be ashamed of himself for promoting lawlessness. But, what does he care? Most illegals have little education, they won’t be gunning for his job anytime soon.
I was a democrat. I know democrats. They are not self reflective when it comes to politics. They are true believers….and they don’t change their ideals based on an election, even a loss.
I voted for Romney. Obama is a bridge too far.
BedBug on November 26, 2012 at 9:22 PM
This will go well, I’m sure.
While people lose their jobs or take cuts in hours or salary, while their grocery money’s buying power continues to fall.
22044 on November 26, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Chavistas.
We need to dismantle their organization by any means necessary. Before we wind up herded into camps.
rayra on November 26, 2012 at 9:24 PM
And we are actually in much better shape after the 2012 elections than we were after 2008. Even with redistricting costing us 5 seats in each of IL and CA and a few here and there in other “blue” states, we lost only a net 6 in the House. That is actually not so bad considering. Obama had very short “coattails” this election cycle and did not bring a “wave” of Democrats into office. Where we did see waves such as in California, it was due more to redistricting than anything else.
I think we are in pretty good shape for 2014 and little local elections that might happen before then but WE have to stay motivated to turn out. Often local elections are decided by fewer than 100 votes and turning out and getting others to turn out can be huge.
crosspatch on November 26, 2012 at 9:29 PM
I realize that. I’m telling you it goes further. It’s every True Pub (read: just as stupid as Democrats) against everyone who joined them in the fight against Obama. They’re acting like themselves – in the words of Obama – “stupidly”
Slade73 on November 26, 2012 at 9:30 PM
They never left organizing from the 2010 cycle.
Mimzey on November 26, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Anyone see a minority in the pic? Stupid white college kids.
Mimzey on November 26, 2012 at 9:46 PM
stupid white college kids are the bane of our times
Slade73 on November 26, 2012 at 9:50 PM
Elections are one thing, the hum-drum and minutiae of the political process is something else.
GarandFan on November 26, 2012 at 9:54 PM
Seven Percent Solution on November 26, 2012 at 10:52 PM
…I’m going to fight…day by day…one day at a time!
KOOLAID2 on November 26, 2012 at 11:02 PM
Two words, please: et cetera.
BuckeyeSam on November 27, 2012 at 12:14 AM
I’m not yet sure how much of their results were due to great effectiveness, and how much were due to widescale voter fraud. I wish I could be sure, but our elections our pathetically easy to rig, and all it takes is heavy enough voter fraud in the right precincts in swing states to swing a presidential election.
Voter fraud is rarely pursued and prosecuted, because the people most affected don’t want to be seen as sore losers, and will rarely press charges unless there’s enough evidence that the election might be overturned.
Kennedy in 1960 was almost certainly elected due to heavy voter fraud, but Nixon absolutely refused to make those accusations or allow anyone else to make them.
There Goes The Neighborhood on November 27, 2012 at 1:20 AM
This sounds vaguely similar to ‘The Eye’ and the Orcs in The Lord of the Rings. Telling people to get out and ‘engage the American public’. By ‘getting angry with them’ and ‘getting in their faces’ perhaps?
joadard on November 27, 2012 at 4:25 AM
Permanent campaign.
It’s tough to compete with people who make campaigning and politics their jobs, their lives and their identity. All the time. Forever.
The rest of us want to be left the hell alone to run our own lives and want these morons as far away from us as possible.
But they’re not going to allow that.
Silver lining? Bill Whittle (in the video posted yesterday) made a great point. Even with all of this expertise, politicking, organization, ground game, etc., it’s still essentially a 50-50 nation. And he’s right – 400k vote the other way in a few states and Obama’s gone. The fact that unions and these idiots AND the media dragged the worst president in modern history across the finish line isn’t really something for them to celebrate. It should have been a landslide if what they claim is true.
Good Lt on November 27, 2012 at 8:06 AM
You know, the mafia was cleverly organized too…
Alinsky on November 27, 2012 at 8:38 AM
Test.
locomotivebreath1901 on November 27, 2012 at 9:36 AM
Of course the Obots will volunteer to help the socialist cause! They don’t have jobs, so they have a lot of free time!
Colony14 on November 27, 2012 at 12:05 PM
Go Galt. Starve the beast. Change your W-4 at work ASAP to 10 exemptions. Use the extra weekly cash to buy silver coins to prepare for the coming fiscal collapse.
Colony14 on November 27, 2012 at 12:06 PM