[governance] Blogpost: Facebook Does Mind Control

[michael gurstein]

Blogpost:
http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/facebook-does-mind-control/

M

-----Original Message-----
From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org
[mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of JOSEFSSON Erik
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2014 10:38 AM
To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; Daniel Kalchev
Subject: RE: [governance] Facebook Does Mind Control

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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