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Comment by gtd | Hacker News Reader

I don't think it's ironic because Anil clearly values Facebook and wants them to "do the right thing". This is made clear in the opening paragraph:

> Now, Facebook follows the steps that most tyrants do, quietly moving from sham elections to an official policy that users will have no vote in site governance.

When I read this my first thought went to the ridiculousness of comparing Facebook to a dictator. But it shows that Anil sees Facebook as almost necessary infrastructure. Not using Facebook is not a realistic possibility. Instead we must hope against hope that they will right their tyrannical ways.

Frankly I'm not holding my breath, but Anil has reach so maybe something good could come out of it.

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Not using Facebook is the only solution. Or to be more precise - instead, one should use tools which are built from the ground up for the sake of users and social networks, rather than for the sake of profit by exploiting users' profiles.

Attempts to "cure" Facebook sound like attempts to tame poisonous snakes not to bite when they feed. It simply sounds like nonsense to me. Facebook from the start was for-profit thing directed by its owners, and never had any "users governance". If someone wants "for people, by the people" - let them use Diaspora*, Friendica or whatever else emerges on the horizon to fulfill that purpose. But if someone is using Facebook, they shouldn't complain that it doesn't respect its own users. That's the way it was built from the ground up.

But it shows that Anil sees Facebook as almost necessary infrastructure. Not using Facebook is not a realistic possibility.

If he really thinks that, he needs to take a serious step back. This is just ridiculous.

I don't think he consciously thinks that, but his entire argument seems to stem from Facebook being such a necessity that they are morally obligated to follow social norms or be somehow coerced into doing so, despite evidence that this has ever been a possibility.

>> Not using Facebook is not a realistic possibility.

Funny, my life still seems pretty realistic since I deleted my account. Maybe more so.

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