The violent protests in France stemming from fuel taxes ostensibly to fund the fight man-made climate change, combined with backlash over other Macron “reforms,” have caused the French president to suspend the implementation of those plans. But apparently there’s a higher profile entity to blame for sparking those riots:
Here’s How Facebook’s Local News Algorithm Change Led To The Worst Riots Paris Has Seen In 50 Years https://t.co/EOYlzSlYmx via @broderick
— Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) December 5, 2018
Facebook?
Prior to 2016, digital-powered activism was celebrated. And now… https://t.co/05pxHNK0Jl
— Fred Bauer (@fredbauerblog) December 5, 2018
Weird how that worked out, right?
From Buzzfeed:
The “Gilets Jaunes” or “Yellow Jackets” protests have only gotten more violent since they began last month. Three people have died, hundreds more have been injured. To hear the protesters tell it, they’re marching through the streets to fight back against rising fuel prices and the high cost of living in the country. Beyond that, though, it’s an ideological free-for-all. Fights have also been witnessed among demonstrators, and some have sent death threats to other protesters.
But what’s happening right now in France isn’t happening in a vacuum. The Yellow Jackets movement — named for the protesters’ brightly colored safety vests — is a beast born almost entirely from Facebook. And it’s only getting more popular. Recent polls indicate the majority of France now supports the protesters.
HMM…
Who would have guessed the reason people are upset in France is also 70 year old grandmas and memes. https://t.co/elMcqxZnqd
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 5, 2018
Facebook used to organize for Arab Spring or torching Ferguson to the ground – Good.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) December 5, 2018
Buzzfeed’s not having an easy time selling that one:
this strikes me as similar to the 2011 hot takes that saw Facebook as the primary catalyst for the Arab Spring. it played a role, but thousands of people don't go occupying the streets just because they saw some viral story in their news feed. the anger was already there.
— Amartya Senpai (@ShobJit) December 5, 2018
"The anger of the People must only be ours to use for Progress, not by the Other for Reaction" – Thought Police
— That Dubious Cat demands turkey leftovers (@TedWade73) December 5, 2018
It’s not FB’s fault it’s the Macron liberal order
— c breezy (@CostaMesaKid) December 5, 2018
This is the dumbest article. It’s not facebooks fault, it’s macrons policies and his obsession with climate change at the detriment to the poor. Step outside the stupid bubble.
— Ellison (@PatedBears) December 5, 2018
Yeah, FB is the reason, not the crushing climate taxes that being no tangible benefit to those paying. That CAN’T be the problem.
— CatVader (@kilchis75) December 5, 2018
NAH! *Eye roll*
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