The Intelligence from The Economist Not everything in moderation: Twitter v Facebook
Jun 5, 2020
Ludwig Ziegler, the U.S. technology editor for The Economist, dives into the contrasting business models of Twitter and Facebook. He explains how their approaches to content moderation reflect their economic strategies. The conversation touches on the challenges both platforms face with regulatory issues like Section 230 and the need for oversight. Ziegler also discusses the significant influence of social media on political protests, highlighting the Black Lives Matter movement and the broader implications for accountability in tech.
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Differing Business Models of Twitter and Facebook
- Twitter's business model is like a speaker's corner (one-to-many communication).
- Facebook, with stronger network effects, functions as a one-to-one social network.
Content Moderation and Market Dominance
- Twitter, being less of a monopoly, has more freedom in content moderation than Facebook.
- Facebook's dominance makes it more politically vulnerable, especially regarding antitrust actions.
Trump's Executive Order and Section 230
- Trump signed an executive order targeting Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
- He threatened to remove the liability exemption for non-neutral online platforms.
