How Tech Platforms Fueled the January 6th Insurrection and Political Polarization

 

On January 6th, 2021, Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 election which found Biden to be the new President of the United States. Meanwhile, a violent and armed mob stormed the U.S. Capitol with violent threats towards Congress members in return for not overturning the election results in Donald Trump's favor.  While partisanship had been at a high throughout arguably all of Trump's presidency, it's important to discuss the role that technology and social media had on 1/6, as well as its aftermath. 

Misinformation was a key trigger in the 1/6 riot. From the perspective of a Trump supporter, they were defending the country from corrupt leaders who stole an election. But how can a mass delusion occur at such a large scale? The answer is simple: propaganda has gone digital, and social media sites aren't capable of (or interested in) fielding misinformation. The spread of misinformation has only become more prevalent and normalized since 1/6, and while social media of sites have made some attempts to beef up their moderation teams, it really isn't cutting it. According to a report by the NYU Center for Business and Human Rights, the continuing polarization intensified by social media discourse has resulted in extreme consequences such as declining trust in our social institutions, erosion of democratic norms, and political violence.

So the question is - what more can we do? Are there any other strategies that would be effective in both maintaining freedom of speech but also protecting our democracy from propaganda? Or do we just have to settle with the fact that this is the new normal?

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