Facebook to ban QAnon conspiracy theory content from its social media platform

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-07/facebook-instagram-bans-qanon-content-from-social-media-platform/12738630

What does everyone think about this?
I think it's a good idea as it spreads a lot false/dangerous information and the followers in general are incredibly stupid.

It means Facebook will ban anything it disagrees with while allowing conspiracy theories like "Trump called soldiers losers" to persist. It's just big tech holding 95%+ of the market share using an excuse to control the flow of information in favor of their own interests.

@eoten: ^THIS

‘it spreads a lot false/dangerous information and the followers in general are incredibly stupid.’

You just described most of CNN and MSNBC’s viewers.

@Sevenizz: LOL! Sometimes I can’t tell if you're serious or just messing with us. Comparing CNN to a dangerous and debunked conspiracy theory! Can’t make this up!

Good! About time!

@thegreatchomp: Hi CNN/MSNBC viewer - how are you?

And yet some Americans are too dumb to realize the media along with a majority of corrupt Democrats are creating a fictional reality about the bad orange man. All while suppressing factual news. Continue to eat it up libs.

The positive side, well it’s what will get the orange boogeyman re-elected.

@Sevenizz: You know based on your comment above that could be seen as flame bait? Should t you be at a QAnon rally or something?

FYI, I don’t watch mainstream media. That’s you, Fox News viewer.

If Trumpsters weren’t such gullible, conspiracy-believing tools to begin with, I may have a bigger problem with this.

Isn’t QAnon about a ring of Satan worshipping Deepstate pedos trying to bring Trump down? 😂 Only Trump supporters would hold objection to removing such laughable nonsense from the web.

@MirkoS77: Do you feel the same way about the Russian hoax against the orange boogeyman?

I believe QAnon at least has some weird emails and a proclaimed laptop right?

Really? You people thought Trump called soldiers losers because some two-bit hack writer for the Atlanta claimed he had a source that said so. Despite never naming that source and later admitting the story is likely false, people on these boards STILL believe it. And what about all this crap about Trump being much sicker and in much serious condition than he let on? Turned out to be bullcrap now, didn't it? I think CNN/NBC was pushing that one.

Do you really want to talk about gullible, conspiracy-believing tools? I object to any major corporations holding about 95% of the market share of online information having the power to dictate who is allowed to see, read, or say what.

@MirkoS77: Yep. And Trump is going start a day reckoning called the storm to fight them.

And Sevenizz and Eoten believe this crap? Lol!

@eoten: I believe....no, I know that Trump is an asshole who constantly insults and looks down on others, a fact that I need no media to inform me of, only simple observation. And I’m much more inclined to believe that an asshole would act like one in claiming soldiers losers and suckers, especially when he has openly disparaged veterans in the past (“I like those who weren’t captured”). Right, because it’s such a leap to believe he’d think soldiers losers when he came out and explicitly insinuated in so many words that those who were captured were effectively losers (as he likes winners, as was the implication of that statement). Read between the lines and see the corollary, or keep believing him to be an upstanding shining beacon of decency, integrity and character. That’s what’s truly gullible.

And who knows about Trump’s condition? You don’t know any better than anyone else, but we do know he was flown to the hospital and given a steroid typically reserved for severe cases. He’s also still infected.

@TheGreatChomp: not surprising at all coming from those who back alternative facts.

They should redirect those pages to metal help institutions.

@netracing: Metal help? Lol

Yeah too much plastic in their lives.

This is great news. Groups like QAnon are too stupid and dangerous to be left unchecked. To be frank, it is both amazing and depressing to see how many Americans are dumb enough to believe QAnon's lies. Anything to paint Trump as a hero, I guess.

@MirkoS77:

Trump was literally given an experimental cocktail of drugs and antibiotics, injected with a steroid to help his blood oxygen levels and was put on respiration. If he wasn't really sick, his treatment would be considered overly aggressive by other medical professionals. There was an article about doctors being baffled by his treatment. Saying that it would be potentially dangerous to give any patient excessive treatment unless they truly were in critical condition.

@thegreatchomp: Yet you quote all their talking points and arguments. Spooky coincidence or bull?

Interesting...

Well it is clear here how those upset by this news are detached from reality.

Whether or not I know any better about his condition doesn't make the bullcrap spread about it any less of a conspiracy theory. It's a conspiracy theory until proven otherwise and as of yet it doesn't seem like the evidence supports it. CNN, NBC delve into baseless conspiracy theories all the time, and you people buy into them because it comes from a television news network, or something you're familiar with. Are those conspiracy theories going to be removed? What ultimately seems to be the deciding factor between which conspiracy theories go and which ones stay is which ones Facebook agrees with, or wants people to believe.

I don't know about you, but I don't think companies that own nearly the entire market share of online information should have the power to dictate what people see and hear. This is why free speech is the first amendment to the US constitution, because at that time, the alternative was one entity (in this case, the government) controlling information. Whether that one entity is the federal government, or a grouping of like minded big tech out of silicon valley, we're still looking at CCP level control of information, and that's dangerous.

lol defending q-anon.

That isn't even a reasonably close comparison. MSM get a lot of things wrong, but your examples are not conspiracy theories. Those are stories that exist for a day, two, a week...and reasonable people can be on opposite sides of their meaning, intent, relevancy, accuracy. There are no reasonable people that believe in QAnon. The entire premise is based on idiocy and fantasy combined.

QAnon conspiracy theorists have been linked to a killing and multiple armed stand-offs. Here are the criminal allegations connected to the movement and its followers.

https://www.insider.com/qanon-violence-crime-conspiracy-theory-us-allegation-arrest-killing-gun-2020-8

FBI Labels Fringe Conspiracy Theories as Domestic Terrorism Threat

https://www.thedailybeast.com/fbi-warns-against-qanon-pizzagate-in-report-highlighting-dangers-of-fringe-conspiracy-theories

Why Trump Won't Disavow QAnon's Dangerous Antisemitic Lunacy

https://www.haaretz.com/hblocked?returnTo=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.haaretz.com%2Fworld-news%2F.premium-i-ve-never-thought-of-having-a-gun-but-trump-and-qanon-are-changing-that-1.9153537

How Covid-19 myths are merging with the QAnon conspiracy theory

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-53997203

Totally the same as The Atlantic running a trusted source who was independently corroborated by 4 other trusted sources of other reputable publications. I mean this isn't how highly reputable publications have used deep sources in politics for decades in some of the biggest stories or anything. Totally new, and only against King Trump.

You're very smart.

A bit late aren't we, Facebook? Everyone's crazy uncle and aunt have been exposed to this sh*t for years.

Dude, CNN was caught organizing a fucking protest. That's not "getting it wrong." That's fabricating propaganda. Many of what CNN "gets wrong" is intentionally so. It's not by mistake that they push complete shit. They're no better than QAnon. But to put it in perspective you could understand as you seem to think your side is infallible simply for telling you what you want to hear. What if Alex Jones owned facebook, still controlled most the market share of information shared online, and make the declaration that the company was going to start picking and choosing what you get to see and read? Would you be all for it even if he promised it'd only be those he deemed conspiracy theories?

The fact is you're putting a small group of people in charge of 95% of the information spread worldwide. If you think that's a good thing, then you're probably a lot more pro-fascist than you would like to admit.

The 1A exists to protect people from an environment where one group controls information. Not surprising the group who thinks the constitution is entirely outdated would jump and cheer over the idea of a small group controlling the information... if they believed that group was actually on their side. QAnon is just the low hanging fruit used to set the precedent. Do not think it won't be expanded on further, later. Likely encompassing things you actually believe in. Like a particular third party candidate, or ideal not consistent with the party line.

"It's a conspiracy theory until proven otherwise".

That explains it fairly well. Is that seriously how you operate? I sincerely hope not, but such a sentiment holds great explanatory power towards the rest of your posts and general posting style, and is right on the button for Trump supporters in general who worship a conspiracy nutcase and hence believe everything is one until proven otherwise.

And what conspiracy theories are you referring to by CNN and the major networks? Ones that inconvenience your little "alternative facts" reality? Cite one to me, please, that's anywhere near analogous to a Satan worshipping pedo Deepstate operation to uproot Trump.

Wouldn't be necessary if US fixed their education...

Facebook is free to do so if they want to.

It's a small step in the right direction. Facebook and other social media platforms need to get serious about cracking down on disinformation campaigns and dangerous conspiracy theories. That wouldn't make their shareholders happy, though.

It wouldn't be an issue at all if people weren't stupid enough to believe that nonsense in the first place.

Republicans don't actually want fixed education. You see how they rail about college/university?

How do you propose doing that?

Has anyone on the left ever come up with a solution for improving college/university that doesn't involve blindly throwing money at it? Wake me when they do.

Seriously? That's your answer? You expect underfunded education to be world class? I really wish some conservatives here and elsewhere took the time to educate themselves.

@Sevenizz: That makes no sense eoten. What are you even taking about?

Such proposals have been around for a long time. One of my favored ones is to scrap the local/property tax funding and fund it nationally so that struggling schools get an influx from the richer schools that have banks in their buildings,. It would instantly raise up a LOT of schools to decent standards, including a large number in rural/red areas.

Simple, elegant, high impact, and no new net funding required.

Oh yeah I think we should make education equal everywhere. But good luck on getting that through the politicians heads.

Liberal indoctrination you mean? :P Kinda odd how Republicans do not want US to continue to keep their position in the world. Being nr 1 means also continue to develop the best heads to develop the country further.

Teach critical thinking. Fund schools well enough so teachers doesn't have pay for basic necessities. Perhaps be even more honest about your own countrys history.

Education isn't a short term investment though. It's a long one.

Link?

@eoten I'm still waiting to hear how The Atlantic is worse than this.

Do you agree with QAnon?

Really, and what is my countries history that we should be honest about?

@THUMPTABLE: Yes he does

One doesn't need to agree with QAnon to point out the hypocrisy of the left. If you do not want to listen to QAnon, nobody is forcing you. What I have a problem with is people like you thinking they have some kind of authority or mandate to dictate what others are allowed to see, and judge for themselves. I'm not a fan of fascist bullcrap like political censorship.

@eoten: So in short, yes you do. And banning things that have become harmful to the nation and political discourse is not fascism.

You didn't answer the question. It would be ok if people were not so dumb to believe that laughable stuff and which in turn causes a lot of shit. If dangerous/misleading info is pushed, it needs to be call out for what it is.

Really, here Downunder that type of thing is almost unheard of.
You would have to distance yourself from reality somewhat.

@THUMPTABLE: Here in America we are so far gone it’s not longer funny, it’s scary. Notice eoten refused to answer your question.

You have to be a special kind of stupid to believe in the Q.

LMAO

Your argument is a slippery slope fallacy. There is no reason to believe that this action will destroy free speech and the exchange of ideas.

Indeed, I submit that failure to take these actions is what will destroy the thing you wish to protect. With widespread, near instantaneous distribution of pure BS and fantasy, combined with AI and deep fakes, society will have to find a middle ground to address the issue.

As for QAnon, there is zero public interest in protecting this speech. They believe that a conspiracy of Satan worshipping pedophiles, operating an international sex trafficking ring, exists for the purposes of overthrowing Trump. Say that out loud 10 times.

There is a reason your rights aren't absolute and this is one of them. Failure to come up with a middle ground is going to make future society dysfunctional.

Where is "here"?

@THUMPTABLE: Sorry, typo. Here in America.