From News to Noise
Media manipulation, deliberately shaping information to influence public perception, has profoundly transformed the digital age. No longer confined to traditional news broadcasts, it now permeates every corner of the online world. With social media, those who strategically maneuver their online activity now hold the power to shape public perception. While the democratization of information can […]
Trump, Social Media, and the Decline of Civility
The 2012 Presidential Debate between President Barack Obama and Senator Mitt Romney opens up with a cordial meeting: a handshake and congratulations on an anniversary. Viewers saw a constructive, mature discussion on policies between two opponents. Four years later, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton took the debate stage. The two threw around words like “crooked” […]
Profit Without Privacy: Family Content Creators and Child Influencers
Being a social media influencer has become far more than just a hobby. Thousands of people are able to call social media their careers, making large sums of money through brand deals and sponsorships. In relying on popularity and views to fuel their successes, influencers must find ways to create engagement in their content to […]
We Need to Practice What We Preach to Avoid “Slacktivist” Conversations
“But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”- Matthew 23:3b Although written for an ancient audience, the biblical idiom “practice what you preach” still applies today. The phrase directs its listeners to avoid hypocrisy, a phenomenon all too prevalent in discussions of the unique issues faced by minority […]
Do Revenge and the Commodification of Wokeness
On September 16th, Netflix released Do Revenge, its latest romantic comedy marketed towards teens across the country. However, what seems like another painfully transparent remake of classics like Clueless and Mean Girls is actually a satirical commentary on the way we glamorize performative activism and artificial allyship. The story follows two teenage girls: Drea, the […]
The US Government’s Role in Regulating Social Media Disinformation
This article was written prior to Elon Musk’s offer to purchase Twitter. In a 2020 report, the Department of Homeland Security named White supremacists as the single greatest domestic terror threat facing the US. In 2021, QAnon supporters, the Proud Boys, and other extremist groups carried out a direct attack on democracy in plain sight. […]
Episode 13: “Social Media & Social Justice” with Taraneh Azar
Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Via Spotify | Via Apple Podcasts Tara Azar joins Max & Bryan to discuss how memes and social media relate to social justice. We discuss pros and cons of social media’s impact on recent BLM protests and how the alt-right weaponizes memes for their hateful agenda. Tara also joins Ariana for “Class […]
Algorithms Are Censoring Us
Image by Ethan Harris Twitter’s ban of former president Donald Trump has sparked a national debate about online censorship. The president’s supporters rallied to his side, asserting that social media platforms should not censor conservatives for holding certain beliefs. From the printing press to Facebook, technology has always molded how society understands freedom of speech, […]
Ideological Influencers and the Right-Wing Domination of Young Minds
Young adults in America are often referenced as a monolithic body—praised for their “generational awareness and generational solidarity,” “passion for making positive change,” and “revolutionizing activism.” Sometimes the profiles present a less insurgent picture; Newsweek depicted Gen Z as a breed of cautious pessimists, shaped by their parents’ cynicism and volatile socioeconomic conditions. Other portrayals […]
No Justice for Black Women: The Memeification of Breonna Taylor
No justice, no peace. All too often, Black women are excluded from the narrative of police brutality and systemic racism. All too often, the names of Black women are excluded from the fight for justice—a reality that is highlighted on social media. Social media’s powers in mobilizing change are innumerable. Information can spread instantly, allowing […]