Real Coffe - Scott Adams - Episode 23 - Scott Critiques the Zuckerberg Testimony in Real Time
Aired: 2018-06-18
Duration: 06:12


=== Zuckerberg's Unbiased Platform Dilemma (04:46) ===

[00:00:04]  While you're all getting in here, I'd like to do my impression of Mark Zuckerberg testifying before Congress.
[00:00:19]  That was my That was my impression.
[00:00:31]  Now, I haven't watched most of the Zuckerberg testimony, but I did happen to catch the little bit where Senator Ted Cruz was talking to him.
[00:00:45]  And, oh my God, did any of you see Ted Cruz cross-examining, if you will, Zuckerberg?
[00:00:57]  That was like watching a hunter clubbing a baby harp seal on live TV. So I have several things to say about it.
[00:01:08]  The first is that it's the best I've ever seen Cruise on TV, you know, including all of his running for office and various interviews and stuff.
[00:01:20]  And I think what made him so effective is that, first of all, his material was great.
[00:01:26]  You know, the questions he asked, the way he presented it was, you know, every bit the trial lawyer that I think he was, right?
[00:01:34]  Wasn't he a trial lawyer?
[00:01:35]  Or he was some kind of lawyer. But he dialed back I guess he dialed back his emotions and just delivered it like a surgeon.
[00:01:52]  So it was just so surgical without any emotion in it that it was almost hard to watch.
[00:02:00]  He just dismantled poor Zuckerberg.
[00:02:03]  And here's the part where Zuckerberg had what I would call his Failure to deny the KKK moment.
[00:02:12]  I'm not sure if other people will see it this way.
[00:02:16]  But what I saw was Ted Cruz give him multiple opportunities to either confirm or deny that they are unbiased in terms of the political speech that they cover.
[00:02:31]  And each time...
[00:02:34]  Zuckerberg was asked to simply answer the question, is it your intention to be unbiased?
[00:02:41]  Or, which is equally legal and allowed, is it your intention to use your First Amendment rights to be more about the message?
[00:02:51]  Very simple question.
[00:02:54]  Zuckerberg avoided it several times, and when he offered something that sounded like an answer, here's what he said.
[00:03:01]  He said that we see Facebook as a platform for all ideas.
[00:03:10]  That was his response, which is not an answer, to the question, is it your intention to be an unbiased platform?
[00:03:20]  Because here's the difference.
[00:03:22]  Yes, it's true that they are a platform for all ideas, but do all ideas also get the same amount of attention?
[00:03:31]  Are they treated the same?
[00:03:33]  That's the part that Ted Cruz's question gets to.
[00:03:39]  You know, is there bias there?
[00:03:42]  Zuckerberg had a chance for several layups If the answer was, yes, we were trying to be unbiased.
[00:03:51]  We don't always hit that mark, but that's what we're trying to do.
[00:03:55]  We'll do better. There were lots of ways that Zuckerberg could have answered the question, are you trying to be unbiased?
[00:04:03]  Is it even an attempt?
[00:04:05]  Is it a goal to be unbiased?
[00:04:08]  And he wouldn't say that that was their goal.
[00:04:12]  And instead he said it's a platform for all ideas.
[00:04:15]  Well, yes it is.
[00:04:17]  I would agree that Facebook is pretty much a platform for all ideas, minus the terrorism and the suicide stuff and the stuff nobody wants to hear.
[00:04:27]  Or at least most people don't want to hear.
[00:04:30]  But it's not the answer to the question about bias.
[00:04:34]  It's because the bias would come in with how much attention each of those messages get.
[00:04:43]  So, and unfortunately, Zuckerberg looks panicked.

=== Zuckerberg's Panicked Show (01:21) ===

[00:04:50]  His actual face looks like he's ready to show some flop sweat there.
[00:04:59]  He's pretty shiny, and he's clearly insanely uncomfortable.
[00:05:06]  So, you know, I hate to see Facebook go down, but this is not a good day for them at the moment.
[00:05:19]  Hmm.
[00:05:34]  Okay, just looking at your comments.
[00:05:38]  Yeah, it's not a comfortable place for an introvert.
[00:05:42]  But you have to say, you know, on the plus side, he's very smart, very capable, and he's very game.
[00:05:50]  He's pretty brave even to show up.
[00:05:52]  He probably could have done something not to show up.
[00:05:54]  Maybe not. I'm not sure how that works.
[00:05:57]  If they tell you you have to show up, do you have to?
[00:06:00]  Maybe you do. So I'm going to watch a little bit more of that.