We Need to Practice What We Preach to Avoid “Slacktivist” Conversations
“But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”- Matthew 23:3b Although written for an ancient audience, the biblical idiom “practice what you preach” still applies today. The phrase directs its listeners to avoid hypocrisy, a phenomenon all too prevalent in discussions of the unique issues faced by minority […]
The US Government’s Role in Regulating Social Media Disinformation
This article was written prior to Elon Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter. In a 2020 report, the Department of Homeland Security named White supremacists as the single greatest domestic terror threat facing the US. In 2021, QAnon supporters, the Proud Boys, and other extremist groups carried out a direct attack on democracy in plain sight. […]
“Move Fast, Break Things”: Facebook Is Killing American Democracy
If Mark Zuckerberg could have predicted that his infamous philosophy—“move fast, break things”—would have turned into the antithesis of democratic values today, he likely would never have said it. Of course, to move fast and break things was once a widely adopted way of thinking for entrepreneurs who aimed to achieve Zuckerberg’s level of success. […]
Episode 13: “Social Media & Social Justice” with Taraneh Azar
Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Via Spotify | Via Apple Podcasts Tara Azar joins Max & Bryan to discuss how memes and social media relate to social justice. We discuss pros and cons of social media’s impact on recent BLM protests and how the alt-right weaponizes memes for their hateful agenda. Tara also joins Ariana for “Class […]
Algorithms Are Censoring Us
Image by Ethan Harris Twitter’s ban of former president Donald Trump has sparked a national debate about online censorship. The president’s supporters rallied to his side, asserting that social media platforms should not censor conservatives for holding certain beliefs. From the printing press to Facebook, technology has always molded how society understands freedom of speech, […]
It’s Time to Talk About Smartphone Addiction
Take a moment to remember your first cell phone. Mine was a blue LG env3 flip phone that was virtually indestructible and had a mysterious internet button that I was never allowed to press. In 7th grade, this was the epitome of freedom; all of a sudden, I had the power to text or call […]