Can Social Media and Technology Come to the Rescue in a Pandemic?
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to reassess social media in the midst of this pandemic. Like everyone else, my entire world has moved online. As a longtime critic of social media platforms, especially Facebook, I have to recognize that during this pandemic it has been a lifeline for many. Good things are happening in between the furious rage-tweeting among media figures and politicians. Social media is providing life-giving connection as well as kindness and compassion at a time when there are almost no other means to communicate — from people sharing positive messages to connecting needy senior citizens with vital resources (from checks to toilet paper) to telling jokes to sharing inspiring anecdotes, recipes or musical talent. I reached out to the author of a book I was reading when the pandemic, “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now.” Jaron Lanier is an internet philosopher, musician and scientist known for his incisive thinking about what technology can bring to society at its best, and his early assessment of the destructive forces that social media has unleashed. In his book, Lanier argues that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have undermined truth, driven individuals to...
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