Podcast Summary
The core issue behind political polarization on social media: Social media companies prioritize growth over civility, leading to political polarization and incivility, despite potential regulations or breakups.
The root cause of political polarization, anger, and incivility on social media isn't just about privacy or antitrust issues, but rather the engagement-based business model that prioritizes growth at all costs. This was the focus of a recent interview I did with 60 Minutes, which aired ahead of the American midterm elections. This interview was particularly significant for me as it was the platform that first introduced our work to the public back in 2017. During this interview, we delved into new ground around the social media problem, moving beyond discussions of censorship or free speech to the core issue of how these companies make their money. Even concepts like the attention economy and persuasive technology, which were new at the time, were discussed. Despite potential breakups or regulations, these companies would still compete for engagement and growth, making the issue more complex than it initially appears.
The Impact of TikTok on Society goes beyond individual usage: TikTok's influence on society is significant, shaping culture collectively, and individual usage is just one piece of the puzzle. The psychological control held by ByteDance over content prioritization is a new form of power currently unregulated.
The race for engagement on social media platforms like TikTok can lead to a more addicted, distracted, and polarized society, with potential consequences for national security and psychological influence. The conversation around TikTok in Washington currently revolves around data protection, but even if data is protected, the psychological control that a Chinese Communist Party-controlled company like ByteDance holds over what content is prioritized in the US and beyond is a new form of power. This influence is currently unregulated, as we lack laws for psychological influence but have regulations for data protection. It's essential to understand that the collective usage of social media shapes our culture, and individual usage is just one piece of the puzzle. For example, an individual's carbon footprint may seem insignificant, but it contributes to the larger issue of climate change. Similarly, the impact of social media on society goes beyond individual usage, and it's crucial to consider the broader implications. The recent 60 Minutes piece has already shifted some people's perspectives, making them realize that they are not immune to these issues.
Social Media as a Global Colosseum: Social media, particularly Twitter, magnifies divisive content, shaping public discourse and creating a cycle of polarization and anger. We need to redesign these platforms for more constructive dialogue.
Even if we don't use social media ourselves, we're still impacted by it due to its influence on traditional media and public discourse. Twitter, in particular, functions like a global "Roman Colosseum," where inflammatory content is amplified and becomes the focus of attention, shaping the cultural narrative. Social media algorithms, such as Twitter's, don't just show calmness and thoughtfulness; they highlight the most divisive content, which can then influence mainstream media. This creates a cycle of polarization and anger that extends beyond the social media platform itself. While older generations may be less likely to use social media, the platforms' impact on public discourse affects everyone. The challenge is to redesign social media platforms to foster more constructive and meaningful dialogue, rather than turning them into arenas for confrontational debates.
Impact of Social Media Business Model on Society: Social media prioritizes visibility and interaction, leading to addiction, outrage, polarization, and narcissism in society
Social media platforms like Twitter prioritize maximizing visibility and interaction over creating smaller, more intimate spaces for deeper discussions. This business model of engagement is driven by the competitive attention economy, where platforms must constantly capture and keep the audience's attention through inflammatory content. This leads to a society that is more addicted, outraged, polarized, and narcissistic. The interview on 60 Minutes was not just about bashing specific companies like Twitter or Facebook, but about the entire ecosystem and the impact of this business model on society. Additionally, concerns about social media extend beyond data privacy and access to Western data by foreign governments. The media we consume shapes the kind of people we become, and the values that govern this media can have significant consequences.
Chinese TikTok vs Global TikTok: Different Media Landscapes: Chinese TikTok promotes education, science, and patriotism, while global TikTok focuses on entertainment. This raises concerns about values, education levels, and critical thinking skills. It's unclear if this is intentional or a recognition of media's power to shape society, but it will have long-term implications.
The Chinese version of TikTok, used domestically, is significantly different from the version available to the rest of the world. The Chinese version is regulated by the Chinese Communist Party and is filled with educational, scientific, and patriotic content, while the global version is filled with mindless and entertaining content. This raises concerns about the potential influence on values, education levels, and critical thinking skills. The speaker suggests that this phenomenon is not an intentional attempt to degrade Western culture, but rather a recognition by the Chinese government of the power of media to shape society. The analogy used is that of China shipping "spinach" to its citizens and "opium" to the rest of the world, with the latter keeping people entertained but potentially distracted from more important information and learning. The long-term implications of these two different media landscapes are uncertain, but it is clear that they will shape the development of their respective societies in significant ways.
Social Media Consumption and Career Aspirations: In China, the dream job is to be an astronaut, while in the US, it's to be a social media influencer. TikTok is a major source of information, and politicians use it to connect with voters. However, the pursuit of engagement can harm users and society.
The way we consume information and engage with social media platforms, particularly TikTok, is shaping career aspirations and political landscapes around the world. According to the interview, in China, the dream job is to become an astronaut, while in the United States, it's to be a social media influencer. TikTok, the most popular social media app, is a significant source of information, and politicians are increasingly using it to connect with voters. However, the race to capture engagement at all costs can lead to detrimental effects on users' brains and society as a whole. The Center for Humane Technology has been advocating for a change in the system of incentives for over a decade. If you missed the 60 Minutes episode that covered these issues, you can find it on the Center for Humane Technology's website. The organization is also hiring a new executive producer for its podcast team, and those interested in joining the mission can find the job description on the website.
