Social Media Has Ruined Society and Elon Musk Isn't Helping
Bring back the 1990s
I saw a TikTok the other day by Taylor Stewart where she told us what she constantly thinks about: how social media has ruined society. Ironically, she posted her thoughts on social media.
She’s not wrong though.
In particular, she’s right about the fact that young people today grow up in a time unlike any other in history. Taylor longs for the 1980s and 1990s, some of the last eras where being a young person was celebrated in person, not through a screen. Young people today often date via apps, talk via text, and glamorize their lives in increasingly artificial ways.
The mental toll this has is being documented more and more. The anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy and unrest are compounding by the year.
The kids are not all right.
We need social media age requirements. While the social media toothpaste cannot go back in the tube, we can do a better job of moderating age and dosage. Young people need to be protected against themselves.
And as with cars, we cannot trust parents to know when their children are ready for social media. Society needs to collectively make the determination.
Before exploring potential minimum age requirements, let’s recall why an adolescence free from social media is one to be desired.
Read the rest of this essay here on Medium.
Elon Musk v. Media Matters: A Defamation Showdown X Will Likely Lose
Defamation law is complicated. In the United States we cherish free speech, not only enshrining it ahead of all other amendments to the U.S. Constitution but purposely making it difficult to silence anyone’s right to express it.
Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters is up against these forces. It’s ironic though given Musk’s persistent efforts to paint himself as a free speech champion.
At the heart of the X v. Media Matters case is the dispute that Media Matters:
“[K]nowingly and maliciously manufactured side-by-side images depicting advertisers’ posts on X Corp.’s social media platform beside Neo-Nazi and white-nationalist fringe content and then portrayed these manufactured images as if they were what typical X users experienced on the platform.”
Media Matters manipulated tools on the X platform, and therefore their actions constitute defamation, right?
Not necessarily. The reality is much more complicated. First, let’s start with a brief primer on defamation law.
Read the rest of this legal analysis here on Medium (it’s interesting - I promise!).
ELSEWHERE…
Here are some of my TikToks from the week. Make sure to follow me there! I try to make thoughtful and nuanced videos each week.
This is the one in response to Taylor, which is what the first article above is based:
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And here’s a short video on HOW President Joe Biden and his administration can sell their economic accomplishments better:
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Have a good week.