Is There a Source of Radicalization on YouTube?

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There are all these things built into the platform to incentivize this behavior. But then that also kind of leaves the door open to, i don't no, say, you watch one creator and they're not so radical, but then they talk to a white nationalist. And there's not a lot of pushback on these ideas in some cases. So another thing i've observed is different influences radicalizing each other. I would also argue that he's leaned quite a bit into what his audience demands of her. It actually can become impossible to tell who is genuinely espousing these ideologies from a place of pure belief, and who is doing it because it's profitable.

Paris Marx is joined by Becca Lewis to discuss YouTube’s history of incentivizing extreme content, how the storming of the US Capitol shows the power of media spectacle, and why we should see social media platforms as media companies.

Becca Lewis is a PhD candidate in Communication at Stanford University. She’s also written for a number of publications, including NBC News, Vice News, and New York Magazine. Follow Becca on Twitter as @beccalew.

Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.

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