Global Conference 2021

Town Hall: Taming the Social Media Beast

A hotly debated topic from the 2019 Global Conference resurfaces this year as social media continues to play an ever-present role in our lives. It is clear that Social media platforms have greatly changed how we view and interact with our world, sometimes in ways we don't immediately recognize. As we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has both the ability to bring us together and to push us apart, too often spreading misinformation (or disinformation) and spurring discontent. Will this pattern continue, or do we need to take action to limit the prevalence of social media? Will its benefits—connecting with friends and family—outweigh the negative impact it has on modern culture? As we've become so dependent on digital platforms, what risks come with shifting away from using social media? Panelists will respond to questions from the audience and discuss whether we can manage our new tech capabilities in ways that will help shape our world for the better.