It wasn't fringe groups

Not to the extent that people are willing to violent beat each other up over their political opinions.

Like I'm pretty sure a lot of lefties just blindly use the GG blockbot

That's the result of the echo chambers

I'd actually say a big part of the issue (and one that was easy to see from the start) was that there is no outlets for such divisions.

Traditionally, political divisions tended to align well with geography so the US had regionalism and federalism.

Now it's no-holds barred federal fights. And the divisions tend to be along urban/rural lines or ideologies without geographic boundaries.

What you are basically saying, you are taking blame from the big social media companies for contributing these echo chambers. I say the social media companies are party of the problem, they are a big part of the problem, they are not the sole cause of the problem though.

I am trying to understand your view.

What's Twitter's involvement? Allowing you to block people?

Mine or Beemans?

It feels like you are trying to say that the big social media companies are not the reason for this.

Beeman.

They arent. This has been a steady buildup

I feel that the big social media companies has accelerated the problem to the end game and is major part of dividing people even more along party lines aka tribalism.

I don't think they have at all. I think the financial unrest of 08, and the past 30 years of US hyper partisanship has fucked your country, and other countries with it

It just wasn't as noticeable before everyone could talk

I think what's actually happening is far more subtle and far more worldwide.

Everyone has always had echo chambers.

But they were limited by geography.

That's why we had nations and cultures.

Or in the US, states.

These companies are vastly powerful and working together in conjunctions with each other, basically they have monopolized our communication across the internet. Then they start restricting content to us based on our likes and dislikes, which bleeds into politics where you may like republican and dislike democrats, etc, etc... They give you content based on what your views and likes are. Creating a huge echo chamber for many people, they also hide comments and opinions that is opposed to your views.

But now with everyone talking to each other, there's a bit of culture shock.

Simultaneously you've got globalization (of which US interventions are part)

They're just automating what already went on

Yes, that has been noted by many, including many who manage these networks.

But alot of activists in the organizations (mostly on the left) don't want to pop the echo chamber. Or atleast, they only want to pop it one way.

They pretty much false advertise to people using these platforms. Aka free speech platforms where free exchange of ideas can happen. That isn't what you get with these social media companies now.

Damore and leaked Google chatroom conversations has mentioned as much.

Is it false advertisement? Seriously think about it.

It can happen, it just doesn't

I agree. I was arguing we need to regulate these platforms to stop censorship.

Nothing is stopping you from talking to people on twitter. Y'all just have to turn off the blockbots and stop false flagging shit

I don't think we need regulations, but we do need like a internet bill of rights for our users, thus if the social media infringes upon these rights they can be sued and held accountable.

I will say I have seen studies (which I foolishly lost) that indicate people online actually are more aware of their oppositions positions than people not online and people are more aware than in the past.

We don't need government intervention into the social media companies.

But what's an internet bill of rights but intervention then?

I'm not quite sure I see the difference.

Unless you are thinking of a "I sue them" versus "the FTC fines them" distinction.

But that's just enforcement mechanisms.

It is basically a agreement between social media and us, this is the list of our rights and thus the social media can't infringe upon these rights unless they want to be held accountable by people through the rule of law.

But what is the law but a community contract? And what is a contract than an agreement?

Regulation is when the government is actively involved with the social media companies and keeps a thumb on their pulse. Absolute power corrupts absolute.