Kerby Anderson

When the Internet was growing, we often heard promises that the World Wide Web would usher in a digital utopia. It would connect diverse communities and promote democratic values around the world. Fred Bauer, in a recent article, suggests that the dream of digital equality has actually become a nightmare. In some ways, social media has fulfilled some of its promises. Every person can have a platform and can theoretically connect with people around the world. You don’t have to master some of the complex computer codes that many of us had to learn decades ago. The user-friendly platforms make it possible for just about anyone to build a platform and establish a digital community. But the harsh reality is that these social media platforms have coalesced around a small number of powerful players. These high tech giants have immense power in determining which voices are heard and which are eliminated. Sometimes it is done by human actions, but often it is accomplished by shifting algorithms that determine who is heard and who is eliminated. We often hear about the social media mobs that demonstrate a mob mentality toward views and people they dislike. But Fred Bauer explains that many of these movements are not bottom-up affairs. They are social media pressure campaigns harnessed by people who already have significant platforms. They merely pick out targets for their follows to attack and collaborate with others in order to make their message seem larger than it might actually be. His article is a reminder that many of these online battles in social media should not be seen as a reaction from “the people” but actually orchestrated campaigns against selected targets. This isn’t the Internet we were promised a few decades ago, and it is worth understanding how activists are using social media against many of us today.