Exploring Social Media’s Role in Shaping Democracy

IGP Technology & Democracy Initiative Researcher and Columbia SIPA Adjunct Professor Jen Weedon joined a panel at Viva Technology, Europe’s largest technology conference, to explore how social media platforms shape democratic life. She noted that while social media platforms can amplify political and grassroots movements, there are increasingly visible downsides: misinformation, manipulation, and weakened public trust.

Weedon spoke on the challenges of balancing big tech growth with user safety and the integrity of information:

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➡️ When we talk about tech platforms today, we’re not just talking about private companies. We’re talking about systems of governance. These platforms don’t just host civic discourse; they shape &  prioritize it. They have become the architects of our digital public square.

➡️ The business models of tech companies act as a "gravitational force," dictating how decisions are made, what behaviors are incentivized, and how internal teams are rewarded. These corporate priorities don’t always align with values that are crucial for democratic resilience, supporting vulnerable users, or fostering healthy civic discourse.

➡️ Civic discourse on major social media platforms is being fundamentally shaped by what the system is designed to reward and amplify, rather than for truth, pluralism, or justice, which are cornerstones of a functioning democratic system.

➡️ There’s shrinking access for independent researchers, and that lack of transparency limits external oversight as platforms continue to cement their influence. Principles for “safety by design” include product design decisions, cross-team responsibility for harm reduction, better tooling for community governance, access for researchers to study impacts, and sustained investment in civil society.

The panel’s takeaway? A strong call for society to "shape social media" rather than allowing social media to shape society, suggesting a need for ongoing accountability, robust research, and independent funding for journalism to counter misinformation in the digital age.
 

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About IGP’s Technology & Democracy Initiative
Led by Maria Ressa and Camille François, IGP’s Technology & Democracy Initiative advances impactful research and resources for policymakers, the tech community, and civil society on some of today’s most pressing technology issues from artificial intelligence and democracy to online harms to online foreign information operations targeting elections. Learn more »