Jonathan Haidt Debates Robby Soave on Social Media

Media, Speech & InternetDuelAdded 13d ago

This Soho Forum debate, moderated by Gene Epstein, features Jonathan Haidt arguing for the resolution that the federal government should increase efforts to reduce social media harms, while Robby Soave argues against it. Haidt contends that social media platforms, particularly after 2012, have caused significant devastation to the mental health of young people, fractured universities, and damaged liberal democracy, necessitating government intervention to change the platforms' architecture and business models. Conversely, Soave argues that criticisms of social media constitute a modern moral panic similar to past distrust of new technologies like the radio, maintaining that the platforms offer massive net benefits and that government intervention would likely cause more harm than good.

#Social Media Regulation #Mental Health #Gen Z #Liberal Democracy #Free Speech #Tech Panic

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