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Republicans Find a Facebook Workaround: Their Own Apps
New York Times ^ | October 20, 2018 | Natasha Singer and Nicholas Confessore

Posted on 10/29/2018 8:28:48 AM PDT by reaganaut1

...

Amid a chorus of conservative complaints that Facebook and YouTube have become hostile to right-leaning views — and as those social media giants take steps to limit what they see as abusive or misleading viral content — a few Republican consultants have begun building a parallel digital universe where their political clients set the rules.

One start-up has built an app for the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association that has been downloaded more than 150,000 times. Supporters of President Trump can download an app from Great America, a big-spending pro-Trump political action committee, or America First, Mr. Trump’s official 2016 campaign app, which has some features that remain active. Many backers of Senator Ted Cruz of Texas use Cruz Crew, an app built for his re-election campaign.

The apps deliver curated partisan news feeds on what are effectively private social media platforms, free from the strictures and content guidelines imposed by Silicon Valley giants. Some allow supporters to comment on posts or contribute their own, with less risk that their posts will be flagged as offensive or abusive.

Many apps have video-game-like features where users can earn points for making campaign donations or contacting their legislators. Amass enough points and a supporter can attain increasing status levels — like “BigLeague” or “Patriot” — or even gain a spot on the app’s leader board.

Crucially, these mini-platforms harness the powerful reach of platforms like Facebook and Twitter even while competing with them. Some apps give users the option of posting on Twitter or Facebook messages that are scripted by the campaigns, combining the seeming authenticity of organic social media posts with the message discipline of paid advertising.

Proponents are positioning these apps as durable communities that offer conservatives viable alternatives to mainstream social networks.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: socialmedia
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1 posted on 10/29/2018 8:28:48 AM PDT by reaganaut1
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To: reaganaut1

Sounds great until big tech: (a) bans the apps from their stores; (b) refuses to allow the apps to use their web hosting services.


2 posted on 10/29/2018 8:30:59 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines (Their side circles the wagons. Our side revs up the bus.)
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To: reaganaut1

The NYT shows their robots where to attack and infiltrate next.
Funny how they refuse to identify the Troll Farm running in Portland, OR (funded by NBA players $$$).
I found it back in 2009 until they improved the security.


3 posted on 10/29/2018 8:32:38 AM PDT by Zathras
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To: reaganaut1

My workaround has been solidly in place and effective since.....

(hover over screen name)

Since Nov 8, 2005


4 posted on 10/29/2018 8:33:58 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd
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To: reaganaut1

Big Brother will be taking names.


5 posted on 10/29/2018 8:35:11 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know. how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: reaganaut1

NY Times is admitting censorship of the right on social media.

Its a start....


6 posted on 10/29/2018 8:36:21 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: reaganaut1

That’s great news until something better comes along.
I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the idea of ‘Apps’ and how they work. People are making money by creating these Apps. I don’t know if you must patent that App once it’s been coded. Seems that you should to protect your invention.

I use them all the time, as with my flashlight App or the ones for calculators, calendars, cameras and texts. I stopped trying to analyze them and just utilize, same as with an automobile. I don’t know, and I don’t really need to know how they work.


7 posted on 10/29/2018 8:36:42 AM PDT by lee martell (AT)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

The NYT is signaling them to do exactly that.


8 posted on 10/29/2018 8:39:00 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

or (c) Lobby their leftist allies in the financial sector to ban them from payment processing and other financial services.

It’s going to increasingly be Paypal and the Credit Card companies that dictate who has free speech on the internet.


9 posted on 10/29/2018 8:39:20 AM PDT by Shadow44
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To: Shadow44

Another excellent point.


10 posted on 10/29/2018 8:40:01 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines (Their side circles the wagons. Our side revs up the bus.)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Yep... That is exactly what will happen.

Joylent, the server host who shut down GAB is owned by Samsung who is in partners with AT&T.

Now we are being censored right at the access gate by telecommunication companies and phone makers.


11 posted on 10/29/2018 8:42:11 AM PDT by Openurmind
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To: Shadow44

Paypal is soon losing their monopoly on eBay payments and will be a footnote in history before long.


12 posted on 10/29/2018 8:42:29 AM PDT by lodi90
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To: lee martell

My new cell phone didn’t have a ‘flashlight app’ installed on it.

Rather than install one, I found I can just use google talk and say “flashlight on”.


13 posted on 10/29/2018 8:45:05 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: lodi90

Unfortunately, I’m aware of some of the alternatives like Stripe, and Stripe has already engaged in deplatforming people as well.

If they can’t get the payment processors, their last line of resort is the Credit Card companies, which have forced Paypal to cut contracts with people by refusing to underwrite them.

The cartels aren’t going to allow an alternative to emerge.


14 posted on 10/29/2018 8:46:04 AM PDT by Shadow44
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To: lodi90

Paypal is soon losing their monopoly on eBay payments and will be a footnote in history before long.

~~~

Didn’t ebay buy out paypal quite a long time ago?

Ebay killed itself and took a decade to figure out how they could have been Amazon if they didn’t restrict themselves. I remember when you could find absolutely anything you were looking for on ebay. that might still be partially true, but their purchasing processes were not conducive to the mass market, among other things.


15 posted on 10/29/2018 8:46:30 AM PDT by z3n
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To: reaganaut1
I didn't read the whole article (probably can't), but I noticed NYT ignored the reason for conservatives getting their own apps, though they do mention conservative fears of getting flagged or banned.

NYT should examine why conservative posts are more likely to be banned from liberal-run social media. I'll hold my breath - NOT...

16 posted on 10/29/2018 8:49:06 AM PDT by jeffc (The U.S. media are our enemy)
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To: UCANSEE2

I still consider that convenience ‘amazing’!


17 posted on 10/29/2018 8:58:50 AM PDT by lee martell (AT)
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To: Behind Liberal Lines

Yep it’s free republic


18 posted on 10/29/2018 9:04:38 AM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: Responsibility2nd

Seriously. Free Republic is the only really good independent conservative source of political news.


19 posted on 10/29/2018 10:17:22 AM PDT by Behind the Blue Wall
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To: reaganaut1

Americans will always seek workarounds when it comes to leftist practices and policies.


20 posted on 10/29/2018 10:22:28 AM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (Lock. Her. Up.)
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