How social platforms are reshaping our lives for better or worse, with analysis from Big Technology Podcast host Alex Kantrowitz.
If you’ve ever wondered how social media is changing our society, we’re finally seeing a debate that’s not just a bunch of hot takes. Professors from the world’s leading universities are now weighing in, taking into account a vast body of studies to draw conclusions about the actual impact of Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, etc. on the way we live.
I’m a longtime technology journalist and host a show called Big Technology Podcast where some of the key players in this debate recently appeared. Today, I’m going to share the research I did before speaking with our guests. And as you read these articles—and hopefully listen to the episodes—my hope is you’ll come away better equipped to assess how these social platforms are changing our lives and communities.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid
Alex Kantrowitz: “Social media was once about connection; it’s now about performance. The shift’s had a devastating impact on our public sphere, argues the author of this piece, Jonathan Haidt, a professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business. I loved this story because it lays out the problem clearly and then actually offered some solutions.”
How Harmful Is Social Media?
Gideon Lewis-Kraus
The New Yorker
AK: “Whenever I read an article with strongly held views, I want to read the counterpoint, and that’s what Gideon Lewis-Kraus delivers in this New Yorker story. Lewis-Kraus spoke to a number of academics and concluded that we don’t have enough evidence to draw broad, sweeping conclusions blaming social media for all our problems.”
The Man Who Built The Retweet: “We Handed A Loaded Weapon To 4-Year-Olds”
AK: “I’ve long known Chris Wetherell as the founder of Google Reader. But over coffee in San Francisco in 2019, he told me he’d helped build the Retweet button as well. The retweet button’s had an extremely negative effect on society, I felt, promoting outrage-sparked virality instead of thoughtful conversations. Wetherell, to my surprise, agreed, and told me his story in this article.”
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