Stupid is Back Doing What Stupid Does

In a post on December 26, 2021, I commented on a TV advertisement that I thought was a bit curious.  The spot featured an actor dressed in blue jeans and a blue work shirt; and he was situated in a machine shop.  The actor was the embodiment of the mythical Blue Collar Worker.  And he was here to tell the world to tell Congress to not Send Our Tech Jobs To China, like had happened to his job.  I pointed out the inconsistency of the ad's presentation.  The guy looked like he was at work in the machine shop.  What my main commentary was that it seemed like an issue advocacy ad, but there was no legislative proposal that the ad was promoting or attacking.  The ad was pure FUD.

The American Edge Project is back with its third production of its nonsensical advertising.  And, as has been well documented, the American Edge Project is not "a coalition dedicated to the proposition that American innovators are an essential part of U.S. economic health, national security and individual freedoms," as its website states.  The American Edge Project is entirely Meta, or Facebook, or just plain Mark Zuckerberg. Although its ads are always couched in whatever is the political topic of the day, such as the current ad railing against inflation and Congressional inaction on inflation, what the American Edge Project, AKA Mark Zuckerberg, is actually opposed to is an antitrust bill that is being proposed.

The point is always that as Congress reins in monopolistic tech companies like it did the railroads and oil companies in the 20^th century, then all those tech jobs will vanish from the shores of these US of A, and all relocate to China.  Of course, post Covid, this is an absolutely ridiculous claim.  The fact is that tech companies across the board are beginning the process of bringing manufacturing back to America.  America as the new manufacturing powerhouse for 21^st century was the hot topic at this year's Davos conclave of the high and mighty.  America is turning around its excusive reliance on foreign manufactured components.  Semiconductor  manufacturers are up in arms that a bill to provide $52 billion in seed money to build a chip manufacturing plant in Ohio is stalled in Congress.

In January 21, 2022, Intel made the following Press Release:

LICKING COUNTY, Ohio, Jan. 21, 2022 – Intel today announced plans for an initial investment of more than $20 billion in the construction of two new leading-edge chip factories in Ohio. The investment will help boost production to meet the surging demand for advanced semiconductors, powering a new generation of innovative products from Intel and serving the needs of foundry customers as part of the company’s IDM 2.0 strategy. To support the development of the new site, Intel pledged an additional $100 million toward partnerships with educational institutions to build a pipeline of talent and bolster research programs in the region.

It is the Fed's part in funding this project that is stalled in Congress. Like most spending bills, final passage of this bill requires balancing different competing interest, and thus passage will take time. The CHIP Act, as it so named, is written specifically to reduce American manufacturers reliance on China for essential components like semi-conductors.   The bill has passed the Senate and waiting for action by the House of Representatives. Nonetheless, this is not Congress stifling American innovation.  It will promote and help foster American advances in technology. Hardly Congress sending American tech jobs to China. In fact, other foreign manufacturers in Europe and elsewhere in Asia have said that if the CHIP Act passes those countries will likewise invest in their component manufacturing, both in their own domestic markets and here is the USA.  "GlobalFoundries has already promised that if the CHIPS Act passes, it will build a new chip factory in Saratoga County next to its existing factory at the Luther Forest Technology Campus known as Fab 8," reported GovTech.com. GlobalFoundaries is headquartered in Germany.

So there is no push in Congress to send American tech jobs to China.  What there is, however, a sentiment in many in Congress that web platforms are no different than newspapers and magazines, and as such should be held to the same standards of truthfulness in reporting and due diligence in fact checking.  One such specificity example of Facebook's laxity in policing of its content is the recent fictitious posting of gas prices from 2015, and stating that these are prices from January 6, 2021. An obvious reference to the assault on the capitol of January 6, 2021, and the ensuing Congressional hearings.

"Never forget January 6th" read the words across an image of a Citgo gas station sign advertising regular gas at $1.99 a gallon. "Oh yeah, Jan. 6, 2021," the caption in the June 17 Facebook post said. "When Americans could still afford to get to work."

The PolitiFact article cited above goes on to state: "But the image doesn’t actually show gas prices on Jan. 6, 2021. This photo was originally taken six years prior on Jan. 22, 2015, according to its caption on the Flickr photo sharing service. Federal data show the average national gas price was around $2.04 a gallon at that time."

Although Facebook did eventually pull the false posting, the lying posting was available online long enough to go viral.  The posting was made knowing it was a fraud.  The debunking site, SNOPES.COM investigated the origin of the falsity. "On June 12, 2022, the Cullman Daily Facebook page, which is managed by a self-described “conservative and Christian news organization,” posted a picture of an Exxon gas station sign showing the price for regular unleaded fuel at $1.73 per gallon, with the caption, “We will never forget January 6th, 2021.” At the time that post was published, U.S. gas prices had just reached a record high of $5 a gallon."

The New York Times, The Washington Post, all the major news networks, employ dozens of fact checkers and editors that review each new item intended to be published for accuracy and veracity.  Why should Facebook be held to a lower standard?  No. Facebook should be held to the same exacting standards as any other news outlet. Facebook may call itself a mere platform; but Facebook is now a news outlet.

The tech industry is no longer the obscure but fascinating little darling that needs special handholding to grow and prosper. Companies, like Facebook are billion dollar entities that will face ongoing scrutiny. And why?  Because Meta, Facebook, and Mark Zuckerberg lie. Just watch their ads.