Steve Bannon Sought to Infiltrate Facebook Hiring

https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephbernstein/steve-bannon-sought-to-infiltrate-facebook-hiring

by zmitri • 9 years ago

47 17 9 years ago

Clubber6• 9 years ago

As always, the why is the most important part.

The secret attempt to find bias in Facebook’s hiring process reflects longstanding conservative fears that Facebook and the other tech giants are run by liberals who suppress right-wing views both internally and on their dominant platforms.

As someone who considers themselves above the fray, I would say those fears are not unfounded.

shepardrtc• 9 years ago

As someone who considers themselves above the fray

If your biggest concern about this is that liberals are suppressing right-wing views in their own company, then you are most certainly not above the fray.

Clubber6• 9 years ago

I didn't say it was my concern, I said it was Bannon's concern.

Politics is a game. The prize is to get elected. Most of the stuff we consume has been designed for us to consume. It's not just an article, it an entire string of articles over the course of an entire election cycle. Ever hear of the October surprise? That happens every election and it's an obvious tell of the design.

Snowden revelations? Not by design. NYT wouldn't touch it until the story already broke. Ever wonder why that is?

kelukelugames2• 9 years ago

1. Do you remember Trump badgered his supporters to be vigilant about voter fraud during his campaign? The only person caught voting twice was a Trump supporter. She wanted to "test the system." I suspect they encourage the paranoia on purpose.

2. I've worked at tech companies for almost a decade. The only right wing view I've seen suppressed is "defense of traditional marriage." It's 2017. I think we all know what that means.

Clubber6• 9 years ago

1. Do you remember Trump badgered his supporters to be vigilant about voter fraud during his campaign? The only person caught voting twice was a Trump supporter. She wanted to "test the system." I suspect they encourage the paranoia on purpose.

Of course they do. Fear is a great motivator to both parties.

2. I've worked at tech companies for almost a decade. The only right wing view I've seen suppressed is "defense of traditional marriage." It's 2017. I think we all know what that means.

So obviously it happens. Like I said, Bannon's fears aren't unfounded.

em3rgent0rdr• 9 years ago

"The only right wing view I've seen suppressed..."

Well if views are effectively suppressed then you won't hear them.

Upvoter332• 9 years ago

Come on - what part of the hiring process asks anything other than technical questions? For conservatives can't figure out why tech companies are filled with liberal leaning folks, here's a clue - there is a well-known correlation between education and liberalism.

Clubber6• 9 years ago

Are you arguing with me or Bannon?

here's a clue - there is a well-known correlation between education and liberalism.

Pretty smug. Here's some research that backs your assertion though:

http://www.people-press.org/2016/04/26/a-wider-ideological-g...

You'll notice that this reference only applies your conclusion to the "consistently liberal" category. I'm of the opinion that if anyone is either consistently liberal or consistently conservative, they're not really considering issues in and of themselves, but rather attaching themselves emotionally to political movements.

In other words, if you are a liberal and you can't think of a single conservative position you agree with, or if you are a conservative and you can't think of a single liberal position you agree with, you are on the Koolaid.

virtuabhi• 9 years ago

Were they successful? Maybe not in WhatsApp but in some other group?

chrissnell• 9 years ago

This article names no sources, only purported emails. It doesn’t show the full text of the emails, just short quotes. It doesn’t provide message headers [1] or any other substantive indication that they are factual. How were these vetted? I’m going to guess that they weren’t.

This article has all of the weight of a gossip column.

[1] Headers can be forged, of course, but it’s at least enough that an external party might be able to corroborate or disprove this story.

forapurpose• 9 years ago

Buzzfeed does have a general reputation for accuracy; their not a propaganda outlet.

I'm fine with raising questions, but we can question everything on that level - nothing is certain. Long, involved scientific studies still have enough flaws and uncertainties to fill many HN threads. Some uncertainty doesn't wipe out all credibility.

Anonymous sources are essential to critical public information; Woodward and Bernstein never revealed their source - should the Washington Post never have published the articles?

I’m going to guess that they weren’t.

That statement has less credibility than the article's, though at least it's acknowledged that it's a guess.

IdontRememberIt• 9 years ago

When clicking on the facebook links in the comment section, several profiles look like fake ones. Do you know if Buzzfeed use this strategy to fake activity in the comment section? Or is it a pro/anti-trump fight strategy?

Steve Bannon Sought to Infiltrate Facebook Hiring

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