How to build the future of social media
Social scientist
WHAT’S WRONG WITH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AS WE KNOW THEM?
We’ve just accepted that how social media is now, is how it’s always going to be. But Facebook started as a site for college students to rate each other’s physical attractiveness. Instagram was essentially a way to organise alcohol-based gatherings, and was originally called Bourbon. Why should we accept these platforms that were designed for sophomoric purposes as the status quo, as the inevitable?
Meanwhile, incivility, hatred and outrage have never been higher. There’s evidence that suggests social media is contributing to all those things. It’s certainly not the only contributor, but there’s growing consensus that it’s a major player.
[But before we make changes]
