TED Talks Daily How Facebook profits from polarization | Yaël Eisenstat
Sep 8, 2020
Yaël Eisenstat, a former CIA analyst and diplomat, dives into the dark world of social media's impact on our society. She reveals how platforms like Facebook profit from inflammatory content, fostering political polarization and mistrust. With stirring insights, she highlights how engagement-driven algorithms exacerbate divisions and calls for government accountability. Eisenstat emphasizes the urgent need for reforms to restore civil discourse and mitigate the damage caused by these platforms on our democracy.
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Kenya Experience
- As a CIA officer in Kenya, Yaël Eisenstat engaged with anti-Western clerics and suspected terrorists.
- These conversations, though initially tense, rarely involved shouting or insults, sometimes leading to collaboration.
Polarization Profits
- Social media platforms profit from polarization by validating and exploiting our biases.
- This creates absolutism, where compromise is seen negatively, hindering common ground.
Discouraging Discourse
- Social media platforms, despite claiming to build community, discourage reasoned discourse.
- Their design prioritizes engagement and growth, hindering civil debate and thoughtful questioning.