I bet it can't simulate Marcus. Because most of Marcus' posts are one liners, 
often with some ironic twist that I'm sure is there, but evades me. I guess if you 
have enough one liners to provide examples, then restrict the response to only a 
few tokens, that might work. But you'd prolly also have to get it to iterate a 
couple of times... Generate a wordy 0th response, feed that back in to generate a 
less wordy 1st response, etc. ... maybe for 3-5 iterates. Then post the last one 
of only 5 words ... and maybe followed by a random picture from the internet or a 
link to an Atlantic article. >8^D

I think Gillian would also be difficult to simulate. It would be pretty cool to classify 
everyone according to how well they could be simulated. Of course, there's a disconnect 
between the validator and the referent. Just because everyone other than P agrees that 
person (P) is well-simulated doesn't mean the simulator fully expresses any deeper or 
interpolated meaning P steganographically hid in the carrier message. What's that line by 
the Butthole Surfers? "Ya never know just how you look through other people's 
eyes."


On 1/22/25 12:59 PM, Marcus Daniels wrote:
Easy to avoid this problem.

-----Original Message-----
From: Friam <friam-boun...@redfish.com> On Behalf Of Prof David West
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2025 1:04 PM
To: friam@redfish.com
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] May you live in interesting times

two things:

1) isn't it interesting that human beings, with only a short exposure to LLM 
generated text can instantly spot 'suspicious' and 'likely-LLM-sourced' 
writing. Not just glen, but all of my university professor friends can spot and 
know with certainty that LLM generated test answers or papers are exactly that. 
The only problem they have is the bureaucratic procedures required to hold a 
student accountable and the fact that Deans, determined to retain students, 
almost always give student's the benefit of the doubt. It seems to me that 
ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, et. al. are failing the Turing test in a most obvious 
manner.

2) Free Speech. Why is all the focus on the speaker? Exactly what difference 
does it make what the preacher says, even if using a megaphone, if no one is on 
the corner listening? True, if I am an office worker at my desk, with no option 
to work from home, and the megaphone results in my being, more or less, 
compelled to listen; there is an issue. Solution is to take away the megaphone, 
nothing more. My right to speak is protected; there is not right to compel 
others to listen to me.

in the case of X, I would argue that there is no compulsion to listen, so no issues of 
free speech. I am less certain about Facebook or Tik Tok, mostly because they have become 
such  "attractive nuisances" that there is some degree of compulsion. But the 
solution is not control of the speech per se, it is holding the platforms to the same 
legal liability as a person who puts in a pool and someone drowns. The homeowner is 
liable for building the attractive nuisance; even if the homeowner put up a fence and 
even if the person trespassed.

davew

On Wed, Jan 22, 2025, at 2:26 PM, glen wrote:

 > I hope I'm wrong. But that text reads like it was generated by an LLM.

 > My point was that artifacts like Section 230 are NOT about free speech

 > in any way, fashion, or form. Free speech is an individual right that

 > is meaningless in the context of platform moderation. Using "section

 > 230" and "free speech" in the same context is non sequitur.

 >

 > Another analogy is to the public square (not the "town square"). You

 > can be trespassed from public spaces, even though they're public.

 > While this typically happens from "disorderly behavior", it could also

 > happen from "free speech". Elno Musk's vision for X is simply to

 > manipulate the zeitgeist to his benefit, no more, no less. Any

 > pretense he's doing this for some *public* good is so obviously false,

 > I can't believe you (or even Grok) might believe it.

 >

 > Of course, the libertarian principle is that if there exists a Good,

 > the best path to it is through the diversity of visions and pursuits

 > ... collective "action" through individuality. Bizarre paths of

 > failure do tiny bits of damage and fall away while pursuits and

 > visions with merit succeed or gain a (cult) following. But even here,

 > Elno doesn't fit. He's got too much money, "controls" too much stuff.

 > He's no longer an individual. He's an institution. And, in the same

 > way that corporations shouldn't have free speech, Elno should have NO

 > individual rights because he's not an individual.

 >

 > On 1/22/25 12:04 PM, Pieter Steenekamp wrote:

 >> There are multiple dimensions to the issue of free speech, especially when 
it comes to the transition from individual expression to distribution by platforms 
like X:

 >>

 >> Responsibility for Content Distribution:

 >> You raise a valid question regarding who is responsible when a platform 
distributes content: the individual who created the content or the platform that 
disseminates it? The answer isn't straightforward due to legal and ethical 
complexities. If the speech in question violates laws, such as defamation, the 
responsibility might legally fall on the individual speaker. However, platforms can 
also be held accountable, especially under laws like Section 230 in the U.S., which 
currently grants them immunity from being treated as the publisher or speaker of 
user-generated content under certain conditions. This legal shield is often debated, 
particularly in contexts where platforms are seen to amplify or moderate content in 
ways that influence public discourse.

 >>

 >> The Megaphone Analogy:

 >> Your analogy of a street preacher with a megaphone is insightful. It 
highlights that while the content (the message about God) originates from the 
individual, the distribution (the megaphone) can amplify its reach and impact. Here, 
one might argue that the responsibility for any harm caused could be shared between 
the content creator and the tool's provider or user, depending on how the 
distribution is managed. This analogy underscores that free speech isn't just about 
what is said but also how it's broadcasted.

 >>

 >> Comparing Distribution of Rights:

 >> Your comparison to the ownership and use of handguns versus drones with 
missiles further illustrates the point about distribution. Just as there are 
restrictions on certain weapons due to their potential for harm, the distribution of 
speech through powerful platforms might necessitate similar considerations. The key 
difference here lies in the scale and potential impact of distribution. While a 
handgun's harm is immediate and localized, a drone's capability could affect a 
broader area or population, akin to how widespread distribution via social media can 
influence societal norms or politics.

 >>

 >> The Role of External Pressures:

 >> Another layer to consider is the influence of external forces, like government or 
"deep state" actors, on media companies. The example of the Hunter Biden laptop story 
suggests a scenario where free speech could be curtailed not by the platforms themselves but by 
external coercion. Elon Musk's vision for X seems to promise resistance to such pressures, 
aiming to uphold free speech by not succumbing to external dictates on what content should or 
shouldn't be shared.

 >>

 >> In essence, while the core principle of free speech focuses on the 
individual's right to express themselves, the reality of modern communication 
involves platforms that significantly alter the reach and impact of that speech. The 
promotion of free speech from individual to distributor involves navigating these new 
dimensions of responsibility, ethics, and law. The question isn't just whether free 
speech should be promoted but how it should be managed in an age where distribution 
can exponentially increase its effects, both positive and negative.

 >>

 >> On Wed, 22 Jan 2025 at 20:35, glen <geprope...@gmail.com <mailto:geprope...@gmail.com 
<mailto:geprope...@gmail.com%20%3cmailto:geprope...@gmail.com>>> wrote:

 >>

 >>     I'm confused by this promotion of "free speech" from the individual to a platform. 
When X (or this mailing list) *distributes* my text, who is ultimately responsible for that distribution? 
Me? Or X/redfish.com <http://redfish.com <http://redfish.com>>?

 >>

 >>     The distribution of some content is not what I'd call "free speech". 
Maybe we could make an analogy to a megaphone. Let's say some street preacher is shouting about 
God (content) through a megaphone (distribution). And let's say your hearing is damaged by that 
megaphone (distribution). Efficient cause suggests it's the preacher's fault - or maybe your 
fault for standing so close. Material/proximal cause suggests it's the megaphone's fault (or 
the manufacturer of the megaphone). But regardless of where any one person lands in answering 
that question, everyone should admit that the content is not the same as the distribution.

 >>

 >>     A similar argument can be made about the difference between, say, a 
handgun and a drone carrying a hellfire missile. Should my neighbor Randy be allowed 
to own (and/or carry into the sandwich shop) a handgun? Sure, it's right there in the 
Bill of Rights. But should Randy be flying hellfire-laden drones around in Seattle 
airspace? No, probably not. What's different about those questions? My answer is 
*distribution*, distribution of the threat (flying around) and distribution of the 
damage (missile vs. lead slug).

 >>

 >>     Why is the promotion of free speech from individual to 
distribut[or|ion] any different from that of other rights?

 >>

 >>

 >>     On 1/21/25 10:27 PM, Pieter Steenekamp wrote:

 >>      >

 >>      > Regarding free speech, I acknowledge its drawbacks, but what are the 
alternatives? During the Biden administration, there were allegations of pressure on 
media to promote a certain narrative, notably around the Hunter Biden laptop story where 
51 former intelligence officials wrongly suggested it might be Russian disinformation to 
influence the 2020 election outcome. This incident illustrates the dangers of having 
moderators decide what is true if those moderators are not guaranteed to be objective 
and neutral.

 >>      >

 >>      > The debate on free speech versus moderated content is complex. While 
there are clear pros and cons, I believe that Elon Musk's approach to free speech on the 
X platform (formerly Twitter) is preferable to a system where moderation is evidently 
biased, as it was before Musk's acquisition of the platform. However, the effectiveness 
of his free speech policies is still a topic of debate among users, with some arguing 
that the platform's moderation has become less about curating content for truthfulness 
and more about enabling a broader, sometimes unchecked, range of opinions.

--
¡sıɹƎ ןıɐH ⊥ ɐןןǝdoɹ ǝ uǝןƃ
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