It looks like conspiracy theorists are finding solace in other search engines that do not actively control misinformation.
Praise for DuckDuckGo has become a popular refrain during the pandemic among right-wing social media influencers and conspiracy theorists who question Covid-19 vaccines and push discredited coronavirus treatments. Some have posted screenshots showing that DuckDuckGo appears to surface more links favorable to their views than Google does.
More on this New York Times article.
@david@netbros.com but the problem is who or what and how do you decide whether something is a fallacy or not? Who ultimate is responsible for that?
I can tell you with absolute certainty that person and not responsibility lies with me the parents of my children. I will not interestrust this responsibility to anyone or any organization.
@jan6@twtxt.net is right here about the echo chambers that are created and controlled by these companies with advertising based business models.
Information wants to be free, however if it is manipulated with corporate interests then it becomes quite biased 😢
Maybe the biggest problem of them all is the idiocy of the average reader. If people could develop basic critical thinking skills, no conspiracies would ever have to be suppressed and no “walled gardens” created.
I actually do think this is one of the biggest problems in modern society. But of course if you actually allow too many people to have critical thinking and good education then you don’t really have anyone to manipulate and control and therefore sell all your shitty products to 😆
@jan6@twtxt.net Bingo! This is the real problem. Data and user Metadata have becomes commercial tools, weapons and a means of mass control. This practice has to stop.
@jan6@twtxt.net problem I see is until we get rid of and ban targeted advertising and profiting off user data and metadata, controversy and conflict make a lot of money for these scrupulous companies 😢
The economic model has to change.
@jan6@twtxt.net The solution is not more centralized alternatives thay exhibit the same problems.
I need to continue to decentralize and remove the incentives for misuse and abuse.
And we’re doing exactly that here with Yarn.social – it’s the primary goal 👌
@jan6@twtxt.net Yes yes I agree and that’s correct. But that is the solution in general. Power and control given centrally over too many is never going to have a good outcome.
@prologic@twtxt.net but how do you plan on combatting centralization? human societies used to be wide and decentralized, most things being decided per your small tribe or city-state, and now it’s all centralized
same for internets, how do you prevent stuff like “yo, you know yarn.social? how about you come over here, we’ll take care you see ALL posts mentioning you even if you don’t follow them, and you get a free website, and you also get reaction stickers! and likes! and you can cross-post to mastodon and diaspora* too! all you have to do is sell your soul!”
@jan6@twtxt.net Fully agree to this. I love DDG bangs and the ability to search somewhere else fast and easy. For the “normal non-tech-savvy people” Google is the defacto standard as it is the default engine in many programs. Even in Firefox and other browser or apps. Searx is a small and self-hosted solution, which many people don’t even know. And for others, Facebook is the Internet.
@jan6@twtxt.net have you ever seen any of your colleagues or family members doing this? I have not! And I am working in a shop with 10 people. They all use Google and just form sentences like “when was barack obama born” “where was the last outbreak of ebola in africa” or “who was playing that weird guy with the grey hair in that movie about cars driving from west to east” etc.
@jan6@twtxt.net sure,sure. The Creative Commons license image, yes I know. I was secretary of a small club couple years ago and had to create flyers and leaflets. Animated gif in wallpaper size? Not sure, I would have to search for that.