Ep 29 | The Ripple Effects of Social Media: Understanding Impacts and Driving Positive Change

On this episode of the Unlearn Podcast, hosts Asher Mathew & Kelly Sarabyn engage in a compelling discussion on the impacts of social media. They are joined by author Tobias Rose-Stockwell, known for his book "Outrage Machine," 

Tobias, a seasoned researcher in technology's societal impacts, shares insights gathered over a decade of study. His expertise sheds light on how platforms like Slack can disrupt workplace dynamics and productivity. 

The episode delves into the complexities of social media's influence, exploring themes of workplace disruption, productivity challenges, and strategies for enhancing online trust and fact-checking. Listeners gain valuable insights into navigating the evolving landscape of social media and its broader implications.

Chapters - 

00:00 - Social media's impact on workplace productivity and interpersonal relationships. 

7:56 - How digital communication changes social dynamics in the workplace. 

12:38 - How social media impacts moral emotions and mental health. 

16:32 - Social media companies' ethical issues and how they prioritize engagement over morality. 

21:03 - LinkedIn's algorithm and its impact on content visibility and toxicity.

27:51 - LinkedIn algorithm and content optimization. 

31:50 - Creating and managing online communities, with a focus on engagement and outcomes. 

35:30 - Content moderation challenges in social media platforms. 

39:19 - Improving social media fact-checking through community-driven, AI-augmented platforms. 

43:35 - Building trust in social media with a focus on verification engines and trust and safety teams. 

Key Takeaways - 

• Social media platforms like Slack can negatively impact workplace productivity and creativity due to constant distractions and performance-based interactions

• Writing text removes non-verbal cues and context, making online communication more open to misinterpretation compared to in-person interactions 

• Prioritizing engagement alone can incentivize the spread of misinformation over truthful information on social media

• Community-driven fact-checking and citations from reputable sources can help combat viral misinformation spread on social media platforms

• The concept of building a "market for trust" by prioritizing validated information over viral hits in the long run could create more value for social media platforms

Key Quotes -

"I feel like LinkedIn is really changing. When I first started using it, it was a straightforward network where people had small circles. Now it seems like there are ccircles within circles. Different content is shown to different people, even in different countries. There was this creative explosion initially, but now every week I hear people frustrated because their reach and impressions are down. It feels like we've fallen into the situation you're describing."  - Asher Mathew

"There's some really interesting research and history regarding LinkedIn's efforts to make its feed less toxic. Back in the day, most social media platforms didn't even have a news feed. When LinkedIn started, it was more about who you were connected to rather than having a feed. They implemented a feed early on, but then they actually turned it off due to spikes in garbage content, spam, and other issues typical of user-generated content networks. After a hiatus, they restarted the feed, around 2017 if I remember correctly, in a read-only format. They also selected specific influencers who could post to the feed, aiming for global reach with a small number of chosen influencers in the early days." - Tobias Rose-Stockwell

"I do think Wikipedia is a great example. People perceive it as very neutral, right? I've never heard anyone say, 'Wikipedia has a liberal bias' or something like that. It just comes across as neutral. I think it's hopeful that this neutrality can be embedded into social networks."  - Kelly Sarabyn