In episode 552 of ThePrint's Cut the Clutter, Shekhar Gupta explains that for a mega company like FB, policy isn't driven by an individual but a collective goal of profit maximisation.
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, also a member of the Parliamentary panel on IT, says some former employees of Facebook had reached out to her on the hate speech issue.
The MPs are members of the Parliamentary panel on Information Technology, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor. They have complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The Sindh High Court recently overturned the conviction of mastermind Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three co-conspirators for the journalist’s kidnapping and murder.
Starting 13 March, four outlets will be allowed to employ a combined 100 Chinese citizens in US down about 40% from now. More restrictions are likely to come soon.
Despite growing passenger volume, 11 out of 14 carriers reported losses in 2023-24. IndiGo recorded profit of Rs 8,167 crore, which reduced to Rs 7.253 crore in 2024-25.
Of the total package, $649 million will be utilised for additional hardware, software, and support services, and the remaining for Major Defence Equipment (MDE).
None of Pakistan’s PMs has lasted 5 years. That the current PM has given Asim Munir 5 years shows that of all military dictatorships history has seen, Pakistan’s is most creative.
What’s interesting is the fact, that the vested interest group within Facebook proudly announced itself as a Muslim Facebook employee group, is often glossed over.
Hate speech of the T Raja Singh types needs to be curtailed but so also similar Hinduphobic posts of the Asauddin Owaisi types.
The wholly-opinionated crusade by former-adman-turned-journalist on “why only blame Facebook®”: Truly, the credentials and above all — the experience count.
Like most of the time, Mr Shekhar Gupta has encapsulated it very well. Regardless, it doesn’t negate the fact that Facebook® bent over backwards in the fear of its survival, on a supposedly “World’s Largest Democracy”. If anything.. It rather proves that how even a neo-empire like Facebook® Inc( $FB) can’t champion civil-liberties — making yet-another, and boy.. Quite significant, DENT on India being a “tolerant, free-society”. Let alone a “liberal-democracy”.
And in spite of Mr Shekhar’s otherwise well-reasoned arguments, he barely avoids landing himself in a sinkhole with his “…millions of employees with discrepant worldviews..”( paraphrased) fallacy: First of all, as a boss himself — somebody like Mr Gupta must be well-aware that any organisation, for-profit or not-for-profit( NGOs, and so on) run on what’s-dubbed Command Hierarchy, as in..( Or what’s-called ‘Chain of Command’ in armed-forces.) So the “politico-ideology” of gazillions of employees falters in front of select, tens of few in executive-suits across the globe. And hence.. To imply that Ankhi Das( no salutation!)’ worldviews were worth as “just-another employee input” is nothing short of preposterous. She’s the Chief of Policy for the whole of economically-defined subcontinent for fuck’s sake, not “just-another employee”. Speaking of.. While factors attributed to Das effectively-vetoing the professional-wisdom of technocratic employees SUPPOSEDLY charged with decision-making powers in that domain are actually very pro-Capitalist, however: Her job-profile clearly requires her to establish liaison with the authorities and the press — not “brainstorm” ideas about ensuring the business’ unacademic financial-prospects. That’s the job of Ms Divya Pannala. Unless there was a certain called-for caucus where the former was invited and specifically, was allowed to give her inputs.
Nevermind the OSINT-sleuths who dug-up her links with the likes of ABVP, et al. — her very domain of the job, unhelped by her exceeding authority to influence the senior-authority against any punitive action and just a “slap on the wrist”, lemme spell-out: In straight-contradiction with their own so-called Community Standards, establishes unavoidable Conflicts of Interest. And hence, whilst one may rubbish the OSINT-findings as ‘just-another Connecting-the-Dots conspiracy-theory in a corner of the ‘pop-Interweb’ multiverse’( spoilers: It’s not! And asserting the same without expanding on it constitutes as ‘False Balance’ in the schools of Journalism.) but to put it stereotypically: Anybody who has studied Management and has performed excellently in tests would have a near-impossible time establishing that her conduct didn’t exceed authority. Add to the fact that years-long alternate-press coverage within Indian national-borders( mainstream-press is long idle, any surprise?) and by mainstream-press based outside national-borders, of Facebook® India’s operations[ pre-Cambridge Analytica® and Aaron Banks( no salutation!) days] clearly establishes an undeniable Conflicts of Interest, given her connections to the Corridors of Power[ particularly with the incumbent regime]( remember “Free Basics ®”, anybody?) succeed in establishing those Conflicts-of-Interest. So.. Like any smart person, her cover-story might be tight — doesn’t make it “the real-reason” ipso facto. I guess that satisfies my point and I won’t have to harp on “Appeal to Emotion” by positing the hypothesis involving historic fanatical-regimes.
And hence.. For the 2nd-ever time since I created my account: I’m still content with deactivating( technically-accurate word for “deleting”) it. This “devil’s advocacy” has failed to convince a dwindling-breed of creatures like myself. And don’t worry.. Since I’m a dwindling-breed, I’ve also accounted for “Insta” and certainly — WhatsApp®. It’ll be phased.
What’s interesting is the fact, that the vested interest group within Facebook proudly announced itself as a Muslim Facebook employee group, is often glossed over.
Hate speech of the T Raja Singh types needs to be curtailed but so also similar Hinduphobic posts of the Asauddin Owaisi types.
Ahh…
Far more better encapsulation than say..
The wholly-opinionated crusade by former-adman-turned-journalist on “why only blame Facebook®”: Truly, the credentials and above all — the experience count.
Like most of the time, Mr Shekhar Gupta has encapsulated it very well.
Regardless, it doesn’t negate the fact that Facebook® bent over backwards in the fear of its survival, on a supposedly “World’s Largest Democracy”. If anything.. It rather proves that how even a neo-empire like Facebook® Inc( $FB) can’t champion civil-liberties — making yet-another, and boy.. Quite significant, DENT on India being a “tolerant, free-society”. Let alone a “liberal-democracy”.
And in spite of Mr Shekhar’s otherwise well-reasoned arguments, he barely avoids landing himself in a sinkhole with his “…millions of employees with discrepant worldviews..”( paraphrased) fallacy: First of all, as a boss himself — somebody like Mr Gupta must be well-aware that any organisation, for-profit or not-for-profit( NGOs, and so on) run on what’s-dubbed Command Hierarchy, as in..( Or what’s-called ‘Chain of Command’ in armed-forces.) So the “politico-ideology” of gazillions of employees falters in front of select, tens of few in executive-suits across the globe. And hence.. To imply that Ankhi Das( no salutation!)’ worldviews were worth as “just-another employee input” is nothing short of preposterous. She’s the Chief of Policy for the whole of economically-defined subcontinent for fuck’s sake, not “just-another employee”. Speaking of.. While factors attributed to Das effectively-vetoing the professional-wisdom of technocratic employees SUPPOSEDLY charged with decision-making powers in that domain are actually very pro-Capitalist, however: Her job-profile clearly requires her to establish liaison with the authorities and the press — not “brainstorm” ideas about ensuring the business’ unacademic financial-prospects. That’s the job of Ms Divya Pannala. Unless there was a certain called-for caucus where the former was invited and specifically, was allowed to give her inputs.
Nevermind the OSINT-sleuths who dug-up her links with the likes of ABVP, et al. — her very domain of the job, unhelped by her exceeding authority to influence the senior-authority against any punitive action and just a “slap on the wrist”, lemme spell-out: In straight-contradiction with their own so-called Community Standards, establishes unavoidable Conflicts of Interest. And hence, whilst one may rubbish the OSINT-findings as ‘just-another Connecting-the-Dots conspiracy-theory in a corner of the ‘pop-Interweb’ multiverse’( spoilers: It’s not! And asserting the same without expanding on it constitutes as ‘False Balance’ in the schools of Journalism.) but to put it stereotypically: Anybody who has studied Management and has performed excellently in tests would have a near-impossible time establishing that her conduct didn’t exceed authority. Add to the fact that years-long alternate-press coverage within Indian national-borders( mainstream-press is long idle, any surprise?) and by mainstream-press based outside national-borders, of Facebook® India’s operations[ pre-Cambridge Analytica® and Aaron Banks( no salutation!) days] clearly establishes an undeniable Conflicts of Interest, given her connections to the Corridors of Power[ particularly with the incumbent regime]( remember “Free Basics ®”, anybody?) succeed in establishing those Conflicts-of-Interest. So.. Like any smart person, her cover-story might be tight — doesn’t make it “the real-reason” ipso facto. I guess that satisfies my point and I won’t have to harp on “Appeal to Emotion” by positing the hypothesis involving historic fanatical-regimes.
And hence.. For the 2nd-ever time since I created my account: I’m still content with deactivating( technically-accurate word for “deleting”) it. This “devil’s advocacy” has failed to convince a dwindling-breed of creatures like myself. And don’t worry.. Since I’m a dwindling-breed, I’ve also accounted for “Insta” and certainly — WhatsApp®. It’ll be phased.