Air Date 9/22/2020

Today we take a look at the rising concern over Facebook as more and more negative impacts of the site become evident to an ever-expanding group of concerned people and, more specifically, we show how it is the fundamental business model of Facebook that is at the heart of its problems.

Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991

Transcript

BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content)

IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Early Facebook Investor We Need to Hold Big Tech Accountable For Creating “Toxic Digital Spills” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-27-19

Early Facebook investor Roger McNamee talks about big tech companies are amplifying hate speech and disinformation. He also talks more about his book, ·Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe.·

Ch. 2: The Covid Conspiracy Boom on Facebook - On the Media - Air Date 8-19-20

Bob speaks to Fadi Quran about the "superspreader" pages that are amassing these page views, the most popular health conspiracies on Facebook, and whether there's any hope that Facebook will address the proliferation of disinformation on its site.

Ch. 3: Beyond the Boycott - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 7-10-20

#StopHateforProfit is an important first step, but we need to go much further.

Ch. 4: The Business Model - The Social Dilemma

Clip from the docudrama "The Social Dilemma" from the Center for Humane Technology (available on Netflix).

Ch. 5: Voting Is Not Enough: Work to Overcome Racist Voter Suppression in Yet Another Election Without the Full Voting Rights Act - Best of the Left Activism

Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action.

Ch. 6: When Attention Went on Sale - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 4-28-20

Information system that relies on advertising was not born w/ the Internet. But social media platforms have taken it to an entirely new level, becoming a major force in how we make sense of ourselves and the world around us. Columbia Law Professor Tim Wu.

Ch. 7: Power and Politics in Silicon Valley ft. Ramesh Srinivasan - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 11-10-19

Ramesh Srinivasan (@RameshMedia), Bernie Sanders surrogate and Professor at the UCLA Department of Information Studies, joins us to discuss the politics of technology. Why conversations about technology need to be conversations about power.

Ch. 8: Yaël Eisenstat: Dear Facebook, this is how you're breaking democracy - TEDTalks - Air Date 9-8-20

In this bold talk, Yaël Eisenstat explores how social media companies like Facebook incentivize inflammatory content, contributing to a culture of political polarization and mistrust -- and calls on governments to hold these platforms accountable.

VOICEMAILS:

Ch. 10: Mythology - Alan from Connecticut

VOICYMAILS:

Ch. 11: Response to Zach the theologian - Nicole

Ch. 12: Your argument convinced me - Zach the theologian

Ch. 13: White Male Privilege - Heidi

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 14: Final comments on the two major changes happening to the show

TAKE ACTION!

Fight Systemic Voter Suppression:

1) Confirm Voter Registration & Talk to Purged Voters:

Vote.org

National Voter Registration Day Toolkit

Call purged voters: Field Team 6 Actions (with Grassroots Democrats HQ)

2) Help People Get Necessary IDs to Vote:

VoteRiders Free Help

3) Increase Black Voter Turnout:

NAACP Black Voices Change Lives

4) Become a Poll Worker:

WorkElections.com

MoreThanaVote.org

React to Ginsburg's Passing with Action:

Volunteer with SwingLeft to Flip the Senate & Target Super States

Donate to Targeted Super States via SwingLeft

Special Elections (Winner sworn-in in November!):

AZ: Unseat McSally. Give to Mark Kelly.  (leading by 9% points) (CPR Rating: Leans D)

GA: Unseat Loeffler. Give to Rev. Raphael Warnock. (down by 4% points) (CPR Rating: Lean R)

Tightening Polls Toss Ups:

MT: Unseat Daines. Give to Steve Bullock. (down by 1% point)

GA: Unseat Perdue. Give to Jon Ossoff. (down by 2% points)

IA: Unseat Ernst: Give to Theresa Greenfield. (leading by 3% points)

ME: Unseat Collins. Give to Sara Gideon. (leading by 5-7% points)

NC: Unseat Tillis. Give to Cal Cunningham. (leading by 6% points)

CO: Unseat Gardener. Give to John Hickenlooper. (leading by 7% points)

Close Polls Lean R & Likely R:

AK: Unseat Sullivan. Give to Dr. Al Gross. (tied)

SC: Unseat Graham. Give to Jaime Harrison. (down by 1% points)

TX: Unseat Cornyn. Give to MJ Hegar. (down by 2% points)

KS: Open seat. Give to Bollier. (down by 2% points)

EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE

7 Years of Gutting Voting Rights (Brennan Center for Justice)

In 2013 the supreme court gutted voting rights – how has it changed the US? (The Guardian)

Here's *exactly* how Democrats win the Senate (CNN)

Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman 

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):

• Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
• Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
• Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at [email protected]

Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!