Category: Facebook

Podesta Emails Reveal Facebook Colluding With Clinton

10/2/2017

As the Trump presidency rolls on, social media companies have been demanded by U.S. lawmakers to disclose how their platforms were allegedly used in the 2016 election. Emails published from Wikileaks (among hundreds leaked beginning October 7, 2016) show Facebook executives in direct with John Podesta, former campaign chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign.

Image from nypost.com

In an email from early January 2016, Podesta wrote to Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, saying that he was excited to work with her on getting Clinton elected.

“Look forward to working with you to elect the first woman President of the United States,” Podesta wrote. Sandberg replied she was “thrilled” by the progress that Clinton was making.

In February 2015, Podesta was copied on an email from Clinton aide Cheryl Mills, who said she had arranged for Sandberg and her researcher to visit the office and “step through the research on gender and leadership by women.”

In June 2015, Sandberg wrote an email to Podesta, saying she would “still want HRC to win badly.” “I am still here to help as I can. She came over and was magical with my kids,” Sandberg wrote.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and founder of Facebook, sent a personal email to Podesta in August 2015, saying he enjoyed spending time with him, and that their conversation gave him “a lot to think about.”

Zuckerberg thanked Podesta for sharing his experiences with the Center for American Progress (CAP), a Democratic think tank founded by Podesta.

Included in the thread was an email to Podesta from Elliot Schrage, the vice president of communications at Facebook, who said Zuckerberg was looking for a way to “direct his wealth to have an impact as great as Facebook” adding that Podesta’s ideas had “really moved his thinking.”

Zuckerberg then asked Podesta if he could reach out in the future to hear his ideas and said he was looking forward to continuing their conversation.

“I hope it’s okay if I reach out as my thinking develops to get your ideas and reactions,” Zuckerberg said. “If there are any other folks you think I should talk to, please let me know.”

References

RT International. (2017). Podesta emails showed Facebook colluded with Clinton, Assange reminds. [online] Available at: https://www.rt.com/usa/404971-assange-facebook-podesta-collusion/#.Wc49PRNVux0.twitter [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

Wikileaks.org. (2017). RE: At a loss for words - WikiLeaks. [online] Available at: https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/19070 [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

Wikileaks.org. (2017). RE: Happy New Year - WikiLeaks. [online] Available at: https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/56638 [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

Wikileaks.org. (2017). Re: Thanks - WikiLeaks. [online] Available at: https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/50406 [Accessed 3 Oct. 2017].

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Former Facebook Executive: Google and Facebook are Data Companies

9/16/2017

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Chamath Palihapitiya: Facebook and Google have become 'surveillance states' from CNBC.

"These are massive, massive data companies. Facebook is not really a social network, its a data company in disguise. Google is not really a search business, its a data company in disguise. And Amazon is this amazing company in that is modeling consumption", said Chamath Palihapitiya, CEO of Social Capital Hedosophia Holdings, with CNBC about the state of the technology industry.

Image by CNBC

A former Facebook executive said Thursday Facebook and Google act as "surveillance states" because of the vast amount of data they have on users.

"Amazon is a microscopic portion of global consumption today, so ultimately I think it has more room to grow before it invites regulatory overview," Palihapitiya said. "On the other hand, Facebook and Google effectively are surveillance states. And they have so much personal, private information about so many citizens of so many countries."

Palihapitiya worked at Facebook from 2005-2011, and has worked as a venture capitalist since.

He referenced Google having to deal with European regulators and being fined for breaching antitrust rules, saying, "It's already beginning. Because it's part and parcel to them realizing that there's too much power unbounded."

References

CNBC. (2017). Chamath Palihapitiya: Facebook and Google have become 'surveillance states'. [online] Available at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/09/14/chamath-palihapitiya-facebook-and-google-have-become-surveillance-states.html [Accessed 16 Sep. 2017].

Devaney, J. (2017). Former Facebook Exec: Facebook, Google Are 'Surveillance States'. [online] Newsmax. Available at: https://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/facebook-google-surveillance-states-chamath-palihapitiya/2017/09/14/id/813702/ [Accessed 16 Sep. 2017].

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Geopolitics

Podesta Emails Reveal Facebook Colluding With Clinton

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Former Facebook Executive: Google and Facebook are Data Companies

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