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A comment on Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and WhatsApp’s Founders. Parent comment

Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by lyzan on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @01:28PM (#17239968)
Free version for those with verified low income?

(I've been toying with models like this for awhile, and not to say its an easy or simple solution to implement, especially when considering bad actors, but it seems the best chance at getting something "fair")

Alternatively could steal from games and add "cosmetics". Charge extra for things like themes that personalize but don't necessarily improve the experience. Items with enough value that people will "want" it but not "need" it.

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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by citrablue on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @02:18PM (#17240516)
Proof of work from non-paying customers? Something that benefits the company (retweet to pay), or better yet, something that makes the world better? (eg pick up trash, socialize with an invalid, etc.)
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by brandonsometig on Wednesday June 06, 2018 @06:46AM (#17245922)
Whilst creepy, I love the idea of a proof of work system like this, something that anyone can participate in. I just don't see how it could be achieved in a way that couldn't be gamed.
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by ythn on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @01:36PM (#17240077)
What's the definition of "low income"? It would vary wildly from country to country.
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by bald on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @01:42PM (#17240149)
Not saying I support the original idea, but there's objective, widely agreed-upon definitions for poverty, so it should be possible to transfer these to define low income.
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by drb91 on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @04:56PM (#17241961)
> objective, widely agreed-upon definitions for poverty

No, there aren’t; this is a political line that doesn’t make any sense at all. This is why “livable wage” is a phrase: just getting above the poverty line does not imply you can live on your income. The poverty line is pegged too low to be meaningful, at least here in US.

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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by megablast on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @07:47PM (#17243187)
Like everything that exists in the real world, it doesn't have to be perfect.
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by drb91 on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @09:00PM (#17243563)
...right, but if you don't care about how accurate it is, the value of distinguishing people is questionable.
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Re:Behind the Messy, Expensive Split Between Facebook and Wh... by mr_toad on Tuesday June 05, 2018 @08:14PM (#17243336)
The widely agreed upon definition of poverty varies hugely from country to country.
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