This episode of NPR’s TED Radio Hour was focused on Manipulation, hence the title. No really, this whole episode was based off of what manipulation that the media and technology does to us as human beings. Each of these speakers offered their opinions on how they think the social media and tech industries have changed and warped our democracy, our ways of thinking, self perception, and how we communicate. An example of this that crossed my mind in the beginning of the podcast before the speaker even mentioned it, was the 2016 Presidential election scandal with Facebook. The manipulation that was caused from this scandal affected many people, even still to this day. The exploitation of “fake news” is allowed by these social media companies because the stories are easier to spread because of the manipulation which gains followers and/or viewers. The outpour of fake news stories has also led consumers to be suspicious of what reporters/journalists are telling the truth and which aren’t; this can be bad for reporters/journalists because their following may go down.
Again, the source this week made me feel a bit down and out, but overall this podcast gave great and enlightening information. I can relate to Harris’ view that technology’s main goal is to grasp our attention and make sure we don’t lose focus of that. The countless ads based on things I like, wondering how my phone KNOWS I like these things freak me out, but I also can admit that I do sometimes click on these ads and have purchased something from them. Another example is how Instagram gathers the data from pictures you have liked of certain products or people and will show instagram profiles on your explore page that they feel you will enjoy. The way social media grabs our attention can be manipulating and is not always for the “good.”
What social media platforms do you think are manipulating? Are there any that AREN’T?
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