They reinforce the “worst instincts of mankind”. In a speech delivered at Stanford University, in the heart of Silicon Valley, Barack Obama lashed out at major social media.
“Tools don’t control us, we have to control them”
While he acknowledges that platforms such as MySpace and Facebook have been instrumental in his successful campaigns and that without them he “might not have been elected,” the former US president has strongly opposed them.
Disinformation is a threat to our democracy and it will continue until we work together to solve this problem. You do not in as I share some thoughts on what can we all do now. https://t.co/6R6n3MOPPR — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 21, 2022
According to him, “one of causes The weakening of democracy is due to a profound change in the way we communicate and inform.” And it is the free economic model of sites like Facebook, Twitter or YouTube that, according to Barack Obama, is clearly the problem. It pushes these portals to host “inflammatory, polarizing content that grabs attention and encourages participation.” The former Illinois senator also insisted on the devastating impact of disinformation, not without mentioning son successor in the White House: Donald Trump. “We have just seen the incumbent deny clear election results and help provoke a violent uprising against the nation’s capital,” he lamented. Because of this vast amount of information, Barack Obama is asking the government to regulate these major platforms, which, in his opinion, should be held accountable for excesses and show more transparency. He adds: “Algorithms should be subject to safety reviews by the regulatory body, just like cars, food and other consumer products. Because, in his words, “tools don’t control us, we have to manage them.” In the past, Barack Obama has already distinguished himself with strong speeches against the giants of the world. web. No doubt these statements were heard by Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress. At present, apart from the big talk, regulation is slow anyway.
