The Takeaway: How’d the American people feel about this whole scenario? See below.
Facebook’s Deepfake Debacle
What Happened: Facebook wants you to know that, when it comes to its social media platform, you’ll definitely be able to believe your eyes, unless what you’re looking at is either meant to be funny or has a political purpose that might be controversial to try to block.
What Really Happened: Facebook’s latest issue started with the company’s attempt to solve a problem—namely, its new policy surrounding deepfakes.
Well, that seems like a particularly noticeable loophole—and, sure enough, plenty of people noticed, as the story went viral. So what, exactly, was the problem with the new policy? The short answer: Those that it wouldn’t affect, which seemed to be those at whom it should be targeted.
The idea that politicians can post deepfakes without fear of the posts being removed was something that struck many as troublesome. It certainly didn’t please many people, politicians included.
It turns out, the actual carveout was more nuanced than it first seemed, but only slightly.
The Takeaway: But perhaps we’re focusing too much on the political angle of all of this. After all, other people are going to be affected by Facebook’s policy as well. Let’s take a minute to think about those who’ll truly feel the pain.
Live and Direct From the Crotch of One Very Uncomfortable Cartoon Woman
What Happened: When it comes to the forthcoming television incarnation of Gwyneth Paltrow’s brand Goop, Netflix knew exactly where it was aiming its promotional efforts: Fans of gynocentric design choices.
