Do social networks really threaten democracy?

The media have a vested interest in portraying them negatively

The question of mentalities and social networks is a hot topic. Indeed, the media often broach the subject of the divide created by the latter. You only have to look at what's happening on Twitter or Facebook to get the impression that polarization is undermining democracy itself. But is this really the case?

Psychologist Bertolt Meyer went to meet specialists with the genocide of the Rohingyas in Burma in mind, largely caused by Facebook, according to Amnesty International. These encounters provided him with some nuances. Of course, it would be a lie to assert that algorithmically-driven filter bubbles don't exist. They can color the worldview of those who feed solely on networks. On the other hand, researchers are realizing that not as many people rely solely on networks for their information.

Especially as traditional media are not neutral either. Their history shows that whenever a serious competitor arrives, they try to discredit it. In 1938, for example, the play " War of the Worlds " was broadcast on the radio. The next day, newspapers headlined that the broadcast had spread panic throughout the United States. Fake news to pull the wool over the eyes of a new medium gaining in popularity. From now on, it's in the media's interest to portray the networks as a milieu of degenerates, by selecting the worst comments and presenting those that support them.

Of course, this doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful with social networks. In fact, questions about algorithms have led giants like Google to change things. On Google Images, for example, if you enter "woman", you'll see portraits of a variety of female models, rather than just Caucasian ones. These changes can continue if we put pressure on GAFAM and stop giving so much visibility to marginal online groupings.

Running time: 26 minutes