Jonathan Haidt Debates Robby Soave on Social Media

Рет қаралды 74,406

2 жыл бұрын

Are platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram harming Americans in ways that government regulation could help correct?
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On Thursday, February 17, Jonathan Haidt and Robby Soave had an Oxford-style debate on the role of government regarding social media before a capacity crowd at the Sheen Center in downtown Manhattan. It was hosted by the Soho Forum, a monthly debate series sponsored by Reason. Soho Forum Director Gene Epstein served as moderator.
Haidt, professor of ethical leadership at New York University and co-founder of Heterodox Academy, defended the debate resolution, "The federal government should increase its efforts to reduce the harms caused by social media."
Soave, who took the negative, is a senior editor at Reason and author of the recently published Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future. He argued that widespread criticisms of social media stem from our innate-and misguided-distrust of new technology. Soave also contended that, for all its flaws, social media confers huge net benefits, and that the application of "government force" is likely to do far more harm than good.
Haidt, author of a recent article in The Atlantic on social media's harm to mental health, pointed out that while the platforms were not initially designed for people under 18, those individuals have arguably been its victims. Haidt likened the platforms to sugar-best taken in moderation.
Narrated by Nick Gillespie. Edited by John Osterhoudt. Additional graphics by Lex Villena. Event photography by Brett Raney.

Пікірлер: 459

@LaserBeamDynamite 2 жыл бұрын

I think this is the first time I've gone into a debate knowing and respecting both debaters.

@teodora2376 Жыл бұрын

As a 20 year old girl, who since she was 13 years old was thrown from the world of playing hide and seek, to a world of crying to my mom cause my facebook picture got 30 likes and my friends’ got 130, I’ve never in my life felt more understood by any “grownup” more than Jonathan Haidth. It’s so hard to find someone who speaks up on this issue, since the people with the most power are all millennials who even though they try, they do not relate at all, and all of us gen z are affected by this which makes it hard to help each other (it’s all we know and we’re all suffering). I’ve been struggling with depression on and off (but mostly on hahah) ever since i got into the social media space. Imagine a 13 year old addicted to cocaine, well it’s the same for us but with social media. You get a high when you post a picture, which makes you forget to live for yourself. When before I would think “Yay we’re going on holiday Im gonna have so much fun!” now i think “Okay let’s plan out my instagram pictures”.

@marc5279 2 жыл бұрын

i'm sorry to imagine that Robbin, within the last 5 years, maybe hasn't set foot into a class full of teenagers while trying to teach them something usefull; it's getting increasingly harder over the last years. All what Haidt said within the first 10 minutes of his speach is drastically accurate. Teenagers are starting to present the same patologies as what some kinds of addiction cause to people, due to the constant superstimulus they find on the internet and the easy and fast reward they get with it (in fact, my concern would be more against that than with social media alone). Adults pay for it too, but we got our minds pretty much grown when it stroke us, not like nowadays generations who'll earn this influence deeply embeded into their mindset as they grow.

@lowerclassbrats77 2 жыл бұрын

One major problem is when they colluded to stamp out Parlor, probably illegally.

@curtislundberg3570 2 жыл бұрын

Haidt has so many great podcasts discussing his research and opinions.

@brandonkenney6310 2 жыл бұрын

The short answer is that the government needs to enforce the laws it already has in place. "Platforms" like Facebook, KZfaq, Twitter, etc., have legal protections as "Platforms" that "Publishers" do not have. The condition on having those legal protections is that "Platforms" cannot remove content that is not in violation of the law, such as copyright violations, distribution of pornography to minors, etc.. The problem is that the government has not intervened when "Platforms" violated those conditions and began to act as "Publishers" both creating their own content and removing content they did not approve of that broke no laws. Let us first have the government enforce the laws they have created, and then evaluate if there needs to be any other action done through the legal process of Congress either creating new laws, or removing existing laws that fall under the preview of the Constitution.

@dmsalomon 2 жыл бұрын

I don't agree with Haidts position, but he hands down won this debate. And of course he's right that social media is causing a lot of destruction, I just don't see how govt could help. I think that Rob focused too much on downplaying the issue instead of framing why govt is incapable of fixing it, compared to communities and parents who are ultimately responsible for their children.

@FrogOf4Chan 2 жыл бұрын

I personally having been an EMT and witnessing what happens to the human body(or can happen) from car accidents- would still rather see a human life lost while actually experiencing life as opposed to a life of mindless scrolling inside the four corners of your new jail cell..

@HarveyTAS 2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately parents are the only defense here. Some kids are mature enough to navigate the minefield of social media, others are not. Parents need to monitor and be the bad guy if necessary.

@mulunehrizzo1720 2 жыл бұрын

i quitted social media 3 years ago now when i go out with people i feel like im alone they use their phone 80 percent of the time just to check instagram likes its frustrating

@grekerbeer948 2 жыл бұрын

I stand with the notion that social media is destroying society. And not only the young. I am from the gen z and remember laughing off all the „old Man” talk about how dangerous is the stuff that i use so frequently. It is only when i connected the dots and noticed how my and my Peers’ issues are atleast getting worse, if not being entirely because of social media.

@donaldlouie7354 2 жыл бұрын

I love these debates, please continue to publish them!

@homewall744 2 жыл бұрын

You don't have to restrict speech to restrict the like, retweet/share and algorithmic promotion or suppression of speech to influence the viewer more than would otherwise occur.

@justinpaul3110 2 жыл бұрын

This was a tough one.

@midi510 2 жыл бұрын

The biggest problem is poor parenting. With girls being seriously affected by 10 - 12, it's because they haven't been given a sufficient foundation from 0 - 10 for where they get their value as human beings and a failure to be made aware of the predatory nature of modern society. I raised four kids, mostly by myself, with three being girls, so I'm not just theorizing. One of the most threatening trends of modern life is the lack of children making a connection with the earth and nature. Spending a lot of time together as a family in nature hiking, climbing, skiing, backpacking, and exploring was essential to the building of strong character, confidence, and sense of personal responsibility for my kids.

@zeekzone 2 жыл бұрын

Can be summed up in one 10 second moment at around

@shanedinapoli2240 2 жыл бұрын

I really liked Robbie’s comment about tobacco harm. Except for the opposite reason, tobacco lobbyists argued for decades that it was not as harmful as it actually was and it took a very long time for regulatory change principally because of the argument that there was insufficient evidence to justify the regulations. I hope more evidence is accumulated to debate the issue in a more informed matter.

@joblogos2367 2 жыл бұрын

Robby didn't seem to be able to acknowledge that even the issues he raised as counter points are issues enhanced because of social media platforms.

@suziandchopstix 2 жыл бұрын

Haidt makes valid points, social medias impact branches out further than just a screen. I’m 24. I grew up watching these platform monsters take over society subtly but rapidly. If a youngster isn’t on these platforms, they are viewed different or have difficulty connecting with others (on top of how difficult it already is on its own without technology, etc.). Let’s say they do connect then they have nothing to talk about because the other person is always on their phone or their existence depends on a camera. Human connection is hard because now, it’s not only youngsters but also older audiences who are INFLUENCED by these platforms (even through their kids, loved ones, coworkers, friends etc. It’s. NETWORK).. We have kids who are refusing to go to college or dropping out to be just that.. influencers, musicians. Unachievable and unrealistic standards for money, beauty, success.. it’s shaping the minds of people and most importantly young people! Our morals, stands, expectations are changing and therefore so does our future and ambitions and personality. Did you know there is now such a thing as “Toxic Positivity” I mean seriously? I’m not saying it’s the end of the world but the way it’s effecting this to divorce rates, cheating rates, scamming rates, trends that have put people in hospitals or even got them physically injured …. Yeah it should worry you and there needs to be more awareness on this topic and something done. The fact that there isn’t and instead my generation is too focused on making 8 second videos with stupid facial expressions proves just how brainwashed and asleep we are to life.

@RollingTree2 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks to Gene Epsein, the Soho Forum, and Reason for these wonderfully informative debates! Awesome. As well noted below ...not just a good debate in this case, but excellent rational debators on both sides.