If Facebook belonged to the public:
If we envisioned a copy of Facebook that would adapt to the way in which Danes live, that would contain the 'hygge' lifestyle. A Danish Facebook could be a place where you could use your dark humor (the sarcasm), and be a place where you could post a picture of the Danish flag and it would not be considered nationalist or racist.
The people would make the "new Facebook" more Danish with their content, posts, and energy.
Positives:
- Users privacy would be protected according to the laws of the government of the country that they live in
- The context and the environment of the platform would be cultural - it would be compliant with the culture of the specific country which gives the illusion of less censorship. In Denmark, for example, nudity in media would not be considered as censorship because it is normal in the culture.
- The new Facebook will adapt to the laws of the country and as such it will show the same content that is allowed from a legal stand-point. Your news feed would be a combination of your own country's content and global content censored according to Danish law.
Negatives:
- Who would develop the platform, and fix occurring bugs
- New updates and research regarding new software and technologies
- Security breaches, research about software to prevent security breaches and the privacy of the users
- Basically, who is responsible for the platform and its operating system, the government, a mediator, it-department?
Would it make a difference?
Leave your opinions in the comments!
I mean, the development and operation of it would probably be done the same way as any other IT-system or platform under the state. You would hire IT-people, humanists, engineers, communication folks or whomever are needed to run it, and then it would probably have to follow whatever laws the state has at the moment. Maybe it will be run under a board, with representatives from both Statsministeriet , the citizens, and Danish businesses?
SvarSlet..that's just my take on it :D
Thank you for starting this discussion. I think it is interesting, how we are worried about the public taking responsibility for such a thing - while apparently being very content with private people having access to our data; private people having the means to extract knowledge about us and, most importantly, using this knowledge to predict future behaviour, sometimes even "nudging" us in a certain direction.
SvarSletThat said, looking at Denmark in particular, I wouldn't worry too much about updates and research. In the first place, I expect major trouble in developing such a platform because public project tend to become much more expensive and delayed than foreseen.
But I really would like such a discussion taking place. There are simply too many problems with privacy and manipulation with the existing platforms.
As I said during the class I am not very fond of this idea. Since I am not a Dane, how would that affect the international people? Would we be just excluded from being able to participate in this Network?
SvarSletOh and also, I think that the technology is a wonderful thing. It gives us an option to talk with a friend who is thousands and thousands miles away from us instantly. So what would happen if I would want to talk with a Dane? Is it back to mailing letters? :P
SletI think in real life we have enough physical. economical, and emotional borders, why impose a technological one? It is an intriguing idea, but the "international" in me who tries to keep an open minded, feels a bit left out. This topic came up in a time where I was/am reading articles about how internationals are not that welcomed in Denmark anymore. We've all seen the changes they make in the laws, we all read how hard it is for internationals to get jobs and so on. Therefore I find it hard to discuss an IDEA without feeling a small - really small level of frustration. "Ok, now you want us out of the internet as well". Not to be misunderstood. I get it. It is just an imagination exercise and a good debate topic, but it's so hard to remain objective... :)
SvarSletOn a different perspective: Of course, there are some other countries who have their own social media. F.g. China. But DO NOT forget what party has the most economical power there and the reasons why they impose so many limitations there. Don't hit, just saying.
https://i.imgur.com/4oekwha.jpg
SvarSlet