Unprecedented power outage at Facebook(including all related apps: WhatsApp, Instagram…) for 5 hours on Monday. This impacted thousands of users in various ways – businesses that rely on Instagram to sell products or use Facebook to take orders, for example; as well as people who use Facebook to log in to external apps and products.Â
On Twitter memes with #facebookdown begin circulating. Some people were writing about how they enjoyed the apps being down.
Â
Â
Â
Â
Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, shared internal documents before leaving the company. On Tuesday, she testified about Facebook’s intention to keep people using their products despite knowing it might impact people negatively. She believes lawmakers should regulate it because she“believes Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy.” This further extends the debate about regulation and moderation of private owned tech companies.
Mark Zuckerberg responded to Haugen’s accusations. He disagrees with the accusations, and cited several examples of FB prioritizing healthier engagement over profit.
“Similar to balancing other social issues, I don't believe private companies should make all of the decisions on their own. That's why we have advocated for updated internet regulations for several years now. “ – Mark Zuckerberg
Discussion Questions
Do we see any connections to topics in our class?
What do you think about Haugen’s testimony?
Do you think private companies should police their content entirely on their own?
Who do you think is most impacted by the Facebook power outage? Do you think people will consider alternate platforms now?
🧿 Digital Images Intro(In Defense of the Poor Image continuation)
Vertical Video Syndrome – Glove and Boots(2012)
"At the time of writing, none of the hundred-plus comments had seriously questioned why films should not be shot in vertical, nor asked what types of new composition and framing could arise from using a different alignment." – Miriam Ross and Maddy Glen in Vertical Cinema: New Digital Possibilities(2014)
"Vertical Cinema Manifesto" – Miriam Ross and Maddy Glen(2013)
An ongoing collection of mysterious and alluring screenshots taken using Google Street View. Nine Eyes of Google Street View is both an archival project and a conceptual meditation on the state of photography in a time of automated image making on a massive scale.
đź“° Current Events
Discussion Questions
🧿 Digital Images Intro (In Defense of the Poor Image continuation)
Vertical Video Syndrome – Glove and Boots (2012)
"At the time of writing, none of the hundred-plus comments had seriously questioned why films should not be shot in vertical, nor asked what types of new composition and framing could arise from using a different alignment." – Miriam Ross and Maddy Glen in Vertical Cinema: New Digital Possibilities (2014)
"Vertical Cinema Manifesto" – Miriam Ross and Maddy Glen (2013)
George Floyd – Darnella Frazier (2020)
9 Eyes – Jon Rafman (2008 – )
Modern Life Space – Laurel Schwulst (2011)