this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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YouTube and Reddit are sued for allegedly enabling the racist mass shooting in Buffalo that left 10 dead::The complementary lawsuits claim that the massacre in 2022 was made possible by tech giants, a local gun shop, and the gunman’s parents.

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[–] adroidBalloon@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 year ago (15 children)

interesting… whether the sites will be found liable…. it’s pretty unlikely, but it sure does shine a spotlight on how each are magnets for alt-right crazies. I wonder if that will have any effect on their moderation?

I doubt it.

[–] Kinglink@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (14 children)

They're also "magnets" for progressive, liberal, conservative and all other crazies and normal people. That's mostly because everyone uses them. It's the most popular video sharing site and (one of?) the most popular social media site.

[–] adroidBalloon@lemmy.ml 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

yeah, but progressives and liberals and all other "crazies and normal people" aren’t the ones committing mass shootings all the time.

[–] danielton@lemmy.world -4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Right, but since YouTube and Facebook are two of the most popular sites in the world, they aren't really just magnets for alt-right crazies, since they appeal to almost everybody.

[–] adroidBalloon@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

right, but “everybody” aren’t the ones committing mass shootings all the time. that’s an alt-right crazies problem.

[–] mister_monster@monero.town -4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Ok so isn't the issue at hand whether the sites are to blame?

[–] adroidBalloon@lemmy.ml 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Ok so isn’t the issue at hand whether the sites are to blame?

let’s break this down so I can answer you in what I think is an honest way:

  1. Are the sites legally responsible for the content they host, generally speaking and/or in this context of radicalization and such subsequent results as these?

and

  1. Do these sites bear any social/moral responsibility to moderate their more extreme content in good faith to try to prevent this sort of result?

and

  1. Is there an overlap of 1 and 2?

1 - this is for a court to decide. I’m not familiar enough with the very specifics of case law or with the suits being brought to know exactly what is being alleged, etc. I can’t opine on this other that to say that, from what I do know, it’s unlikely that a court would hold these sites legally responsible.

2 - I fully believe that, yes, sites like these, massive, general-use public sites have a social and moral responsibility to keep their platforms safe. How and what that means is a matter for much debate, and I’m sure people here will do just that.

3 - is there overlap? again, legally, I’m not sure, but there might be, and in the near future, there might be much more. also, should there be more? another subject for debate.

[–] danielton@lemmy.world -5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I didn't say they were. Facebook and YouTube didn't commit the shootings, and there isn't anything particularly special about them that would disproportionately attract the alt-right crazies. They're not hate sites.

[–] bauhaus@lemmy.ml 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
[–] danielton@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The Trump supporters like to bitch that Facebook has been censoring their opinions, especially during 2020 and 2021. They felt the same way about Twitter until Elon turned it into a hell hole.

[–] adroidBalloon@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Trump and his supporters complained that the 2016 election was rigged even after he won.

They’ll say anything to claim victimhood, most often when the opposite is true.

[–] danielton@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I remember that. Unfortunately, I know Trump supporters who still think the elections were rigged.

[–] JustZ@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

They aren't being sued for being "magnets."

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