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Keen On America

Episode 2309: Michal Kosinski on the corrosive impact of social media on democracy and freedom

Jan 19, 2025
Michal Kosinski, an Associate Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, discusses the alarming effects of social media on democracy. He highlights how platforms like Facebook inadvertently empowered populist candidates, bypassing traditional media. Kosinski also reflects on his controversial research that predicts personal traits from social media data. While he sees potential in AI to improve lives, he warns of the long-term risks associated with its unchecked advancement and emphasizes the need for effective privacy protections in our digital landscape.
38:11

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Michal Kosinski underscores the corrosive influence of social media on democracy and individual freedom, linking its rise to the growth of populism.
  • He emphasizes the pressing need for regulatory frameworks to safeguard privacy while acknowledging the challenges posed by advances in AI technology.

Deep dives

Overcoming Challenges Through Role Models

The speaker reflects on how meeting people who achieved success can profoundly impact one's own aspirations. Having come from Poland with considerable obstacles, Michal Kuczynski emphasizes the importance of role models in expanding horizons and motivating individuals to pursue their dreams. He attributes his eventual academic success to a chance encounter with someone he deemed relatable, which encouraged him to strive for higher educational goals. This highlights the impact of personal connections on one's ambition and the realization that if others can achieve certain feats, so can one.

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