[governance] Facebook Does Mind Control

[JOSEFSSON Erik]

Let me add an old and indispensable reference to this discussion:

https://archive.org/details/TheAbolitionOfMan_229

:-)

//Erik 
________________________________________
From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org [governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] on behalf of Daniel Kalchev [daniel at digsys.bg]
Sent: Tuesday 1 July 2014 10:33
To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org
Subject: Re: [governance] Facebook Does Mind Control

On 01.07.14 10:55, Norbert Bollow wrote:
> Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch> wrote:
>> Daniel Kalchev <daniel at digsys.bg> wrote:
>>> There is nothing particular we need to do about it. It will sort
>>> out itself just like any other human society "problem" before that.
>> Some issues need governance action. Others don't.
>>
>>> Just as with having had already certain diseases as child makes you
>>> immune to the same diseases later, so will happen with this
>>> "Facebook mind control".
>> [..]
>>> Sharing knowledge and good practice is how it will all be "solved".
>> In regard to this particular issue, this view that no governance
>> action is needed sounds plausible enough to me.
> Upon further reflection, the conclusion that no governance action is
> needed (because social phenomena --like outrage, fear of being
> manipulated by a machine, and the resulting decline of willingness of
> people to use websites that use “mind control” techniques-- will address
> the issue more effectively than any governance action could) is valid
> only in regard to *known* uses of “mind control” techniques.

Yes, this fear of using technology needs to be addressed. In human
society, that usually happens when people see more carrot and less stick.

> In view of the outrage, any further research projects in this direction
> are likely to be classified. Also we don't know how far classified
> research in this direction may have advanced already. Actually we don't
> know whether secret capabilities to significantly influence the mood of
> a country's population (e.g. in relation to an election) might in fact
> already exist.

The key observation here is that this "mind control technique" is
nothing new.

It is being used every day by the mass media such as radio, tv,
newspapers, news sites etc, under government sanction (and often
encouragement).
Example: at times of political crisis, the news about murders and
violence increases. This causes most people to conclude "let them do
what it takes to fix it".
Because, most people don't really care what happens around, as long as
it is outside of their immediate circle and "someone is in charge".

In the times when "the Communism broke up", it was discovered that the
US (and other countries) have whole research centers working on what
various nationalities fear most and how to influence their behavior to
do things they would normally never do. It was found to be effective in
some cases and pretty much useless in other. And have extremely
unexpected outcome in third.  But so is most research.
How do I know this (first hand)? The Internet :-)

Maybe, in this particular case, the outrage is not that such a technique
is used, but that such technique is used by a private entity. Imagine,
what would be if you could manipulate your neighbor to stop parking his
car in front of your house by planting subconscious fear that might not
be good idea? Like, for example by being rude to anyone who parks there...
Of course, only Governments should have access to this technology...

> I'm now coming to the conclusion that some kind of action on this might
> be needed after all. Maybe some kind of research program aimed at
> developing tools that can be used both by cyberdefense institutions as
> well as by the general public to try to detect any use of “mind
> control” techniques that might be happening.

Mind control is happening each and every day. That pretty girl is
dressed in this particular way just because she wants me to notice her.
The owner of a fancy restaurant makes sure he applies mind control to
you so you come again and again. Mind control is also applied in this
very forum all the time. This is what we humans do to influence others.
The only defense is knowledge -- this is why we send our kids to school.
Without knowledge, they will be easier to manipulate, because their set
of known situations and adequate reaction will be severely reduced.

But you are right. Governance actions on this are needed: tell people
Internet is an environment just like any other -- they should expect to
be manipulated, cheated, subjected to mind control in Internet just as
they would on the streets of New York. People will learn to properly
behave, with time.

Daniel

PS: I believe what you propose to be already ongoing.



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