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cover of episode Studying online bad behavior was hard. It's going to get harder in Trump 2.0

Studying online bad behavior was hard. It's going to get harder in Trump 2.0

2024/12/4
logo of podcast Channels with Peter Kafka

Channels with Peter Kafka

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Renee DiResta: 我研究的是利用技术操纵公众的恶意行为。我的工作激怒了那些试图通过散布虚假信息来影响2024年大选的人。他们将我和我的同事塑造成反派角色,以团结他们的支持者。我不担心自己,我担心的是更广泛的社会影响,这将产生寒蝉效应,阻止其他人继续他们的工作。这些调查不是为了寻找真相,而是一场旨在抹黑和阻止他人继续工作的宣传活动。无论我做什么或不做什么,都不会改变结果,因为这只是一场宣传活动。外国政府的干预确实存在,但其影响力不如国内因素。人们寻找替罪羊和简单的答案,而阴谋论则试图将责任归咎于幕后势力。人们使用社交媒体是为了享受乐趣,而不是受到骚扰,因此他们会选择那些更符合他们价值观的平台。我建议其他人也参加类似的节目,因为这有助于让不同背景的观众听到你的观点。 Peter Kafka: Renee DiResta的研究工作是关于线上恶意行为的,并且她因为这项工作受到了强大的势力的攻击。社交媒体平台正在重新思考内容审核的方式,这可能是出于政治原因,也可能是因为对过去几年内容审核方式的不满。人们担心人工智能深度伪造等技术会在2024年大选中发挥重大作用,但事实并非如此。关于选举干预的讨论在选举结束后似乎消失了,我想知道所有投入到这项工作中的精力和资源将会发生什么。我很好奇,你在乔治城大学被任命时,你们是否讨论过你有很多敌人要对付你,乔治城大学是否愿意卷入雇佣你这件事。我很好奇,你是否因为这些调查和诉讼而改变了你的工作方式,例如是否停止使用电子邮件或使用加密通信。我很好奇,你从参加乔·罗根的节目中学到了什么,以及其他人不了解的关于罗根节目的什么。社交媒体的未来是否会变成每个人都使用与自己意识形态相符的平台?

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why has Renee DiResta faced harassment and lawsuits for her online abuse research?

Renee DiResta's research detailed the mechanics of the 'big lie' regarding election manipulation, which angered individuals involved in spreading this misinformation. Her work has been spun into a conspiracy theory that she was part of a government scheme to censor right-wing speech, leading to harassment, subpoenas, and lawsuits.

Why might the renewed interest in punishing the 'censorship industrial complex' be particularly concerning?

The renewed interest can have a chilling effect on researchers and institutions, deterring them from continuing their work on content moderation and online misinformation. This could harm the public, especially children, by allowing harmful content to spread unchecked.

How did the Stanford Internet Observatory (SIO) respond to claims of censorship and government influence?

The SIO turned over all relevant documents and materials, which showed no evidence of any government-directed censorship. Despite this, the accusations and the resulting investigations did not lead to any apologies or corrections, and instead, moved the goalposts to new accusations.

Why are social media platforms reconsidering their content moderation policies?

Social media platforms are responding to public pressure and the political landscape. They face costs and risks associated with moderation, but they also recognize the public's desire for a safe and moderated environment. The platforms are trying to balance these considerations, often making decisions that align with the expectations and values of their dominant user base.

Why did the 2024 election not see significant interference from foreign actors or AI deep fakes?

While foreign actors were present and attempting to influence the election, they were not as impactful as domestic factors. The platforms had improved their detection and response mechanisms, which likely mitigated the impact of foreign interference and AI-generated content.

Why might the rise of niche social media platforms be a double-edged sword?

Niche platforms allow users to find communities that align with their values and reduce harassment, but they also risk creating echo chambers where users are less exposed to diverse perspectives. This could exacerbate societal divisions and reduce opportunities for constructive dialogue.

What is the Fediverse and how does it differ from traditional social media platforms?

The Fediverse is a network of independent servers using the same protocol (ActivityPub), allowing users to join and moderate their own communities. It offers more granular control over content and moderation, and allows interaction between different servers, creating a more community-focused and user-controlled social media experience.

Why does Renee DiResta believe engaging with right-wing podcasts is important?

Renee believes it is crucial to reach audiences that might not normally encounter her work or the facts she presents. Engaging in these spaces can help counter misinformation and provide a more nuanced understanding of complex issues, even if it invites harassment.

Shownotes Transcript

You probably shouldn't know Renee DiResta's name: She's a researcher who studies online bad behavior, not a celebrity. But the work DiReata did studying the "stop the steal" movement after 2020 has made her famous in some corners of the internet, and not in a good way: She's been harassed, pelted with subpoenas and sued twice.

Now things could get really unpleasant for her.

Donald Trump's victory means that a lot of people who have target dDiResta in the past are newly ascendant. But she tells me she's more worried about a chilling effect that could hamper anyone who's trying to learn about, and fix social media's ills. Also discussed here: what not to do when you go on Joe Rogan.

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