Does social media censorship cause extremism?

What if the very things we want big social platforms to do to stop the spread of extremism, racism, propaganda, and lies is actually causing more problems than it solves?

Many of us want YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter to manage and moderate what people say. Others, who value free speech higher than social harms that its exercise might cost, say that muzzling people is unethical and in some countries illegal. The big social platforms are in the crosshairs either way, and that's one of the reasons Elon Musk is buying Twitter.

But where do people go when they get kicked off the big platforms for spreading covid misinformation or saying unacceptable things? According to some, they go places that just make things worse.

In this episode of TechFirst, we chat with Daryl Davis, a black musician who has convinced 200 KKK members to stop being racist, and Bill Ottman, the CEO of alternative social network Minds.com. 

Our questions:

- why are we so divided?

- aren't we seeing more racism lately? why?

- should any speech be censored?

- should social platforms open source their algorithms?

- what's the solution to the division and anger we're experiencing?

- how do we bridge our reality bubbles?

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