2020 Podcasts

Societies Online: Facebook & Democracy (with Siva Vaidhyanathan)

Galvin, Anne H.; Vaidhyanathan, Siva

A leading scholar who studies online media, Siva Vaidhyanathan, takes a critical look at both the affordances and dangers of large platforms like Facebook, Google, and Reddit. Vaidhyanathan breaks down the global power of Facebook: what it provides in a positive sense, but also how exactly it makes money off of its users, and how its design and business model pose a serious threat to democracy. Siva shares some ideas about what would need to change for Facebook to serve its users—and societies—better.