Secret Facebook experiment on users

[smallearth]

Who gives a f..., I mean really, where do people get off thinking they OWN their own data on a service like Facebook, and that Facebook OWES them... grow up already... don't like it don't f...ing use it then...

 

[Ho3n3r]

And this is news why? How are people even surprised by this?

 

[Nerfherder]

Expand?

I think it's an artifact of two characteristics, 1) the inherent assumption that the previous comments were a true reflection of the original article and 2) reluctance to read it yourself.

Test this out for your self one day. Be the first to comment and set the tone legitimately/illegitimately.


Often I don't read the article when the first few comments confirm what I was thinking.
So like most people are minds are made up on certain things already and we are not swayed anyway.

 

[grok]

Don't really care as I don't get riled up over OMG!! WTF!! facebook posts, but seriously .. if I'm going to be secretly experimented on I demand the corresponding hallucinogenic drugs!

 

[Creag]

I can never understand so many bleat and get angry with Facebook. It is not as though this is something that they have not repetitively done in the past. Facebook does not get two cents for flouting privacy of its "member". Never have and doubt it is in their intention to do so in the future.

If you cannot stand the heat in the oven, get out. But for heaven's sakes stop bleating.

I got "out" at least 5 years ago.

 

[Nick333]

The study basically shows that like follows like, something we see on MyBB quite often where the first response to a news article often sets the tone for the rest of the thread.

I think you are having difficulty separating yourself emotionally from what some people have to say. There maybe some emotional contamination but that doesn't mean there aren't valuable posts. In fact even posts using emotive language could be saying something pertinent. Stop taking things personally and read dispassionately - you're an educated person, you have no excuse.

 

[slasherjdc]

Makes me feel like i made the right choice when i stopped using facebook 5 years ago

 

[jannievanzyl]

Test this out for your self one day. Be the first to comment and set the tone legitimately/illegitimately.


Often I don't read the article when the first few comments confirm what I was thinking.
So like most people are minds are made up on certain things already and we are not swayed anyway.

I have.

 

[jannievanzyl]

I think you are having difficulty separating yourself emotionally from what some people have to say. There maybe some emotional contamination but that doesn't mean there aren't valuable posts. In fact even posts using emotive language could be saying something pertinent. Stop taking things personally and read dispassionately - you're an educated person, you have no excuse.

I think you're wrong :erm:

Don't underestimate the thinking capability of MyBB'ers just because you don't like what we have to say

There will often be cutting comments but as the thread progresses level headed comments even it out. All in all it balances out to reflect reality.

Perhaps you don't like some of it, doesn't mean there isn't truth in it.

You're missing my point. I never said I disagreed or don't like the comments. I said the first post (positive or negative) sets the tone. But maybe you just proved the point

Or this example:

Often I don't read the article when the first few comments confirm what I was thinking.
So like most people are minds are made up on certain things already and we are not swayed anyway.

 

[Bobbin]

Considering the results published apparently confirmed that the emotional tone of facebook media and posts is contagious, makes me wonder how powerful media in general really is. For instance if the majority of a country's news and media is negative so too will the general tone of it's people be. And if we take SA for example, the news is usually about rape, murder, racism, corruption, incompetence, conflict, poverty and so on. Hardly ever a good news story. Question is does this have an impact on our society in SA?

Makes me think of a family who censors certain media for their children. My immediate reaction would be that the family is likely to be happier given no other factors of influence. Like that neighbor in the Simpsons? Though it is only a show I'm sure there are underlying real stereotypes there that depict an ignorance is bliss kind of philosophy.

I think this research is very interesting and valuable. I also don't think people should have been notified as test subject because that may affect results. Moreover I wouldn't be bothered by it if I found out I was one of those test subjects.