Reporters often exaggerate these stories to attract readers/viewers/clicks. In the past I have had a chance to observe such stories from inside and outside, and the distortions were extreme.
If Google was really that bad, they would have trouble finding people to work there. But this is not the case.
Also consider stories about other companies. How does J.P. Morgan compare?

It's you. :) The reporters need to write about stories about angry Googlers, meanwhile there are people applying for jobs at Google by thousands.

Just don't talk about CANCELLATIONS of fractions!

One problem with people not getting vaccinate is that the virus will circulate among them. As long as the virus is able to circulate it can mutate and potentially create a version that is resistant to current vaccines. Then we are back to square one.

Perhaps my idea of what Manichean means wasn't quite correct. But I was also thinking of other religions besides Christianity. Islam or maybe Scientology as other examples, where the great conflict is between Good vs. Evil.

An organization where members "get a rewarding sense of connection through their shared, Manichean world view" sounds a lot like a religion.

Sigh. This is Slashdot. You are suppose to know how email works. You are expected to know that once sent emails cannot be destroyed, because each server through which they flow will archive them (especially government servers).

And this is because of laws passed by Congress to give the TV networks access to public airwaves. There is no such law for hosting internet apps.

It's only censorship if it is done by the government. You can say anything you want, but New York Times has no obligation to publish it. Similarly, Amazon can decided not to have you as a client. You can still set up your own server and publish things that way.

In a similar way, when a baker does not want to bake a cake for a gay couple. Conservatives supported his right to do so. Isn't the refusal by Amazon the same?

Saying that algorithm makes a choice is misleading. Most of these system use machine learning, which takes person's clicks and "builds" an algorithm for that person to find things that will "engage" them.

So if I like Qannon consipiracy, the machine built for me will feed me more Qannon stuff.

Facebook etc, do take down things that horrible - violent content etc - but that's hardly the same job as editors do in traditional newspapers.

Usual quote about Ayan Rand and Tolkien applies:

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old&quotes life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Shopping and delivering food to some sick friends.

Delivering home made face masks to my niece, who is an ER nurse in NJ.

Sending people money. Subscribed to bunch of Patreon project to support NY music scene.

Otherwise WFH.

Sounds like a setup this novel by Lem: His Master's Voice.

Obligatory reference to Duverger's Law,