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Comment by neilv

1 day ago

You know how Facebook became a popular employer among new CS grads, by paying more than anyone else?

You know that book/movie, "The Firm", in which the new law school graduate gets a surprisingly lucrative job offer? (spoilers) It turns out that the reason is Crime.

17 comments

neilv

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hrimfaxi  1 day ago

What point are you trying to make? Any company offering above market compensation is engaging in illegal activity?

  • deepspace  1 day ago

    Not always- see Costco. But in a world where every company is trying to minimize expenses to maximize profits, paying significantly above market is at the very least an indicator that there may be something fishy going on.

    • david_shaw  1 day ago

      It's a valid business strategy to hire the best and brightest in the field, and to pay higher than average to attract that talent -- if you can afford it.

      "Big law" firms are a good example of this too: they pay way more than some random family law practice.

      3 replies →

  • moolcool  1 day ago

    I don't think he implied that. Criminality and ghoulish ethics are just one of many reasons a company may offer above market compensation.

  • hananova  1 day ago

    Yes. But only because every company is engaging in illegal activity, big tech just more so.

  • jrnng  1 day ago

    Low ethics high pay? Higher margins from lower ethics?

    At some point does complacency with scammers become racketeering or criminals conspiracy? Knowledge is an element of crime and they know people are being scammed yet look away from it.

  • onion2k  1 day ago

    Any company offering above market compensation is engaging in illegal activity?

    To quote Randall Munroe, "Correlation doesn't imply causation, but it does waggle its eyebrows suggestively and gesture furtively while mouthing 'look over there'."

    https://xkcd.com/552/

  • 01HNNWZ0MV43FF  1 day ago

    What point are you trying to make? That Facebook is not trying to push the boundary of laws and ethics?

conartist6  1 day ago

It's a short leap from "the hacker company" to "the scammer company". A short and very, very, very profitable leap

  • yencabulator  19 hours ago

    Facebook was never "the hacker company". Zuck was a scammer himself when it was still TheFacebook.

      Zuckerberg: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard
  Zuckerberg: Just ask
  Zuckerberg: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS
  [Redacted Friend's Name]: What? How'd you manage that one?
  Zuckerberg: People just submitted it.
  Zuckerberg: I don't know why.
  Zuckerberg: They "trust me"
  Zuckerberg: Dumb fucks