Lecture on the Impact of Social Media on Society

Introduction

• Midterm elections in the US approaching
• High levels of anger and polarization
• Social media platforms blamed for fueling this anger

Key Figures and Concepts

• Tristan Harris: Co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology
  • Argues social media platforms addict users for profit and generate anger for engagement
  • Highlights that inflammatory language on social media gains more traction
• Jonathan Haidt: Social psychologist and professor at NYU Stern School of Business
  • Discusses the viral and explosive nature of social media features like 'like,' 'share,' and 'retweet'
  • Points out that the extremes dominate social media, though they are a small percentage of the population

Social Media's Role in Polarization

• Platforms like Facebook and Twitter not only reflect but amplify societal divisions
• Moral outrage and inflammatory content are more likely to be shared
• Examples: Tweets about political opponents getting significantly more likes and retweets
• Enraging content goes viral more easily, skewing the political landscape

Structural Stupidity and Intimidation

• Concept of 'structural stupidity': Intelligent individuals are silenced due to fear of dissent punishment
• Example: Harvard professor Ronald Sullivan faced backlash for joining Harvey Weinstein's defense team
• Over half of college students fear expressing views on political/social issues

Impact on Society

• Social media has redefined social participation
• Platforms compete fiercely for user attention and advertising dollars
• Different versions of platforms in different countries (e.g., TikTok in China vs. the West)
  • China's version promotes educational content and limits screen time
  • Western version is more addictive and engagement-focused

Regulatory and Social Solutions

• Calls for government regulation and transparency in social media companies
• Comparisons to public health campaigns against big tobacco, seatbelts, and lead in gasoline
• Harris' online course for tech workers to push for reforms

Recommendations for Users

• Avoid engaging in public battles on social media
• Stay politically active without participating in online outrage
• Future changes may need to be enforced through legal actions

Current Measures by Platforms

• Facebook claims to downplay political content and anger-inducing posts
• Critics argue that social media still amplifies societal anger
• Importance of recognizing and mitigating social media's harmful impacts