PETER SUNDE IS THE FOUNDER OF PIRATE BAY AND HE IS
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SPENT FIVE MONTHS IN JAIL BECAUSE OF HIS
INVOLVEMENT WITH THE COMPANY FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR
HE WAS RECENTLY AT A CONFERENCE WHERE HE WAS BEING INTERVIEWED
AND HE SAID SOME REALLY INTERESTING THING ABOUT MARK
ZUCKERBERG AND FACEBOOK.
HE SAYS FACEBOOK IS THE BIGGEST NATION
IN THE WORLD AND WE HAVE A DICTATOR, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM
A DEMOCRACY STANDPOINT.
MARK ZUCKERBERG IS A DICTATOR.
I
DID NOT ELECT HIM.
HE SETS THE
RULES.
WHEN HE FIRST SAID THAT, I WAS TAKEN ABACK.
WHERE IS THIS GUY COMING FROM?
WHAT YOU MEAN HE IS A DICTATOR?
I DON'T LIKE HE DICTATES MY LIFE, BUT THEN AS HE CONTINUED
I REALIZED PETER SUNDE HAD A POINT.
HE SAYS YOU CANNOT OPT-OUT OF FACEBOOK.
I AM NOT ON FACEBOOK BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DRAWBACKS IN MY
OFF-LINE WORLD.
NO PARTY INVITATIONS, NO UPDATES FROM MY FRIENDS, PEOPLE STOP
TALKING TO YOU, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ON FACEBOOK.
IT HAS REAL-LIFE IMPLICATIONS.
HE EVEN SAYS WE SEND MAJOR LEADERS OF EUROPE TO ASK HIM
TO STOP INTERFERING WITH OUR LOCAL CULTURE.
HOW DID WE END UP IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS?
I THINK HE DOES MAKE A GOOD POINT AND SOME OF YOU MIGHT
THINK THIS IS JUST A FRIVOLOUS THING.
WHO CARES IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE PARTY INVITATIONS OR
PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A FRIEND STOPPED TALKING TO YOU
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA?
IT DOES SOUND LIKE HE IS WHINING A LITTLE BIT.
IT DOES BUT THERE IS A LOT OF HONESTY AND TRU TO WHAT HE IS
SAYING.
I THINK WE ESPECIALLY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE SO
OVERWHELMED IN OUR CULTURE OF
PRODUCTIVITY THAT WE NOW USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A WAY TO CONNECT
WITH PEOPLE INSTEAD OF MEETING WITH PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE AND
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE RESORTED TO
THAT AND IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO GET
PEOPLE TO MEET WITH YOU INSTEAD
OF DO THE EASY THOUGH FRIEND THING OF LIKING SHIT THAT YOU
POST ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM OR WHATEVER.
THAT IS WHAT MY EXPERIENCES BEEN, ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE DO
USE FACEBOOK TO SEND INVITES FOR EVERYTHING INCLUDING THEIR
WEDDINGS WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT.
EVEN THOUGH I FEEL LIKE A FACEBOOK RSVP IS ESSENTIALLY
MEANINGLESS.
YOU RSVP TO EVERYTHING BY THE WAY.
OF COURSE BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW MY SUPPORT.
MAYBE I WILL
GO, I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL, BUT LOOK, YES.
PETER DOES BRING UP
A LOT OF IRONICALLY GOOD POINTS ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SOMEONE LIKE
HIM CRITICIZING FACEBOOK IS INTERESTING BECAUSE OF HIS
INVOLVEMENT WITH PIRATE BAY, A REALLY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE
ONLINE COMMUNITY.
I LOVE IT.
I WILL BE HONEST ABOUT IT.
PLEASE
DON'T SUE ME.
HE IS NOT EVEN SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF HOW
DEVASTATINGLY POWERFUL FACEBOOK IS.
WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS
IN THE PAST ON THE SHOW AS WELL, I THINK WE COVERED HERE, WHERE
WE TALKED ABOUT FACEBOOK MANIPULATING THE NEWS THAT YOU
SEE AND SOMETIMES QUEUING TOWARDS LIBERAL SIDES.
IT TURNS
OUT IT WAS NOT TRUE AND FACEBOOK RELEASE DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOWS
SOME IMPORTANT TRUTHS MOST
IMPORTANTLY THAT IT IS NOT DICTATED BY AN ALGORITHM LIKE WE
HAD THOUGHT BUT ACTUALLY
DICTATED BY REAL HUMANS.
THIS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
FACEBOOK POTENTIALLY HAS THE
ABILITY TO CHANGE HUMAN FEELINGS.
TO SWING AN ELECTION.
AND WHAT IS REALLY SCARY IS THAT IT IS PROTECTED BY THE
CONSTITUTION UNDER THE FIRST
AMENDMENT.
PRIVATE ORGANIZATION, IT TECHNICALLY
COULD OPERATE AS A MEDIA COMPANY LIKE IT DOES RIGHT NOW AND SHOW
YOU WHATEVER IT WANTS TO SHOW YOU AND YES, THE PEOPLE MIGHT GO
OUT AND SAY I CAN'T BELIEVE
FACEBOOK IS DOING THIS, BUT THEY ARE COMPLETELY PROTECTED IN
DOING SO IF THEY WANTED TO.
AND NOT SENSE, WE CAN POSSIBLY VOTE
WITH OUR EYEBALLS ARE BUT WITH OUR USER SHIP AND POSSIBLY MOVE
AWAY FROM USING FACEBOOK, JUST LIKE PETER MENTIONED, BECAUSE
EVERYONE IS USING FACEBOOK, IT RUINED US AND HAS REAL-LIFE
IMPLICATIONS ON HOW YOU LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD.
YOU JUST MENTIONED, YOU REMINDED ME OF TWO ISSUES THAT
COME UP REGARDING NOT ONLY FACEBOOK BUT SOCIAL MEDIA IN
GENERAL.
1ST OF ALL, YOUR POINT ABOUT FACEBOOK HAVING THE
ABILITY TO SWING AN ELECTION IS EXCELLENT BECAUSE YOU SEE ALL
THE TIME, THERE IS UNDERSTANDABLY A DISTRUST OF
CONVENTIONAL MEDIA, OF CABLE
NEWS MEDIA IN THE US.
OR ESTABLISHMENT MEDIA.
AS A
RESULT, I THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE RESORTING TO DIGITAL
MEDIA OR ONLINE SOURCES OF NEWS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BUSY AND
THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR KIDS
AND THEIR FAMILIES.
AS A RESULT, THE NEWS THAT THEY
CONSUME IS WHAT THEY SEE POSTED ON FACEBOOK AND THERE IS A LOT
OF MISINFORMATION POSTED ON THERE.
WE DID COVER THE STORY
ABOUT HOW THE TRAINING NEWS STORIES THAT FACEBOOK POSTS ARE
NECESSARILY BASED ON AN ALGORITHM INVOLVING WHAT THE
POPULAR STORIES OF THE DAY ARE, THERE ARE CURATORS THAT MAKE
DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH STORIES YOU SEE IN WHICH YOU DON'T.
THAT IS PROBLEMATIC.
ANOTHER THING I FIND PROBLEMATIC IS THAT
NOW YOUR WORTH AS A PERSON FOR VARIOUS COMPANIES IS BASED ON
HOW BIG YOUR FOLLOWING ITS.
IT IS NOT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE
WORKING IN NEWS MEDIA.
I SEE IT HAPPENING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
IF YOU WANT TO BE AN ACTOR OR ACTRESS, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO
BREAK ITS THAT FIELD, THE FIRST THING THAT CASTING DIRECTORS
LIFTING TO IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU
HAVE A LARGE FOLLOWING.
THERE ARE ACTUAL SEMINARS AND CLASSES
ON HOW TO BUILD YOUR FOLLOWING IN ORDER TO HAVE A MORE
SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
WHEN YOUR LIFE IS DICTATED THAT WAY, BASED
ON HOW BIG YOUR FOLLOWING IS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, IT KIND OF COURSES
YOU ARE FIRST IS YOU INTO HAVING THESE ACCOUNTS AND I THINK IT
KIND OF SUCKS.
I DONíT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT.
YOU ARE UNBEARABLE THOUGH BECAUSE ALL I HEAR YOU TALK
ABOUT IT WORK IS ALL MY GOD, ANNA, I NEED TO STOP IMITATING
YOU LIKE THAT.
WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET A BIGGER FOLLOWING ON INSTAGRAM?
I TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO GET A BIGGER FOLLOWING
ON INSTAGRAM.
YOU GUYS SHOULD DEFINITELY FOLLOW ME ON
INSTAGRAM.
LOOK, I THINK THAT IS JUST A NEW REALITY AND I
THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE GROWING UP A SOCIAL MEDIA, THE
YOUNGER GENERATIONS EVEN MILLENNIAL'S ARE COMPLETELY
ACCUSTOMED TO THAT.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE A
PROBLEM FOR THEM AT ALL.
THEY JUST KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IN THIS
NEW WORLD.
THIS IS A TOOL THEY CAN USE TO EITHER THEIR ADVANTAGE OR A
TOOL THAT WILL BE A DISADVANTAGE FOR THEM IF THEY DON'T HOW TO
USE IT.
IT IS LIKE USING A REMOTE THAT.
LET ME SHOW YOU ANOTHER DISADVANTAGE.
RECENTLY IN UTAH
THERE WAS AN APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT ESSENTIALLY ATTEMPTED TO
FORCE ITS RESIDENTS TO HAVE A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT AND LIKE THE
APARTMENT COMPLEXES PAGE ON FACEBOOK.
TENANTS AT CITY PARK
APARTMENTS IN SALT LAKE CITY SPOKE OUT ABOUT THE POLICY AFTER
FINDING A FACEBOOK ADDENDUM DATA
THE DOORS LAST THURSDAY.
THOSE THAT DID NOT LIKE THE COMPLEX
WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF SIGNING THE LEASE WOULD BE FOUND IN BREACH
OF THE AGREEMENT.
THEY WERE ALSO TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT
POST NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX ON SOCIAL
MEDIA AND OF COURSE, THE RESIDENTS WERE NOT PLEASED BY
THIS AND SO THERE WAS A HUGE
DEAL ABOUT IT.
THE APARTMENT COMPLEX DECIDED TO SEND A LETTER
SAYING NO, THIS WENT WAY FURTHER THAN WE INTENDED FOR IT TO,
AND IT IS NONBINDING.
EVERYBODY CHILL OUT.
LIKE US ON YELP.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT FACEBOOK DOES HAVE SOCIAL NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY.
I'M JUST TRY TO POINT THAT OUT THE.
IT IS FUNNY, BECAUSE THIS IS THE LEAST INDECENT THING YOU
HEAR LANDLORDS DOING.
WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT IT, AS TENANTS WE HAVE A LOT OF LAWS THAT PROTECT
US, AND I FEEL LIKE LANDLORDS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR
MISINFORMATION OR THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT EDUCATED ON THOSE
LAWS.
THIS IS SUCH A MINOR INSTANCE.
IT IS SUCH A MINOR
INSTANCE.
IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL.
IT IS OBVIOUSLY SOME OLDER
LANDLORD WHO IS LIKE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA THING IS IMPORTANT.
YOU
SHOULD LIKE US ON FACEBOOK.
I CAN FORCE YOU, I AM A LANDLORD.
AND THEN IT BLEW UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE HE HAD NO IDEA
THAT IT WOULD BUT THAT IS THE REALITY OF IT.
WE CAN CONNECT
WITH ONE ANOTHER AND EXPOSE
PEOPLE LIKE THIS NOW.
I AM JUST GOING TO EDUCATE A FEW FOLKS
HERE.
IF YOU HAVE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND UNLESS IT IS
PREVIOUSLY AGREED IN THE LEASE, YOUR LANDLORD HAS SOME BASIS
THINGS THEY NEED TO PROVIDE FOR YOU.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS BEING YOUR AC OR LEAKY PIPES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF THEY DO NOT COME IN AND FIX
THOSE AFTER YOU MAKE A REQUEST, IN SOME STATES, YOU HAVE A RIGHT
TO WITHHOLD RENT.
THOSE TYPES OF LAWS VERY STATE-BY-STATE SO KNOW YOUR
RIGHTS DEPENDING ON THE STATE
YOU LIVE IN.
NOW WE'RE ON A TANGENT, BUT YOU DO BRING UP AN INTERESTING
POINT.
I'M JUST SAYING, LANDLORDS ARE INDECENT SOMETIMES.
THEY ARE NOT THAT MY DAD IS A LANDLORD THAT YOUR GRANDPA IS
A LANDLORD.
THERE GREAT.
SOME ARE NOT.