Social Media’s Perceptions

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This video goes on to talk about how we are having our data taken from us, and we are being more prone to have ads targeted towards us because we wanna make everything more dystopian.

We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads

We're building an artificial intelligence-powered dystopia, one click at a time, says techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci. In an eye-opening t

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Social media platforms are powerful tools that shape not only what information we see but also how we form identities and communities. This week’s materials made me realize that these platforms are far from neutral—they often amplify existing social tensions related to race, gender, and class. Algorithms designed to maximize engagement can sometimes promote extremist or harmful content, which disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. For example, women and people of color face higher rates of online harassment, including misogynistic and racist attacks. The normalization of this abuse makes it harder for victims to speak out and be taken seriously. Digital spaces reflect society’s inequalities, but they also offer a place for activism and resistance. Understanding the dynamics of power, identity, and politics online is crucial for creating safer, more equitable digital environments.

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Online privacy and safety are key issues that disproportionately affect marginalized groups. This image reminds us that activism extends into digital spaces, where power, identity, and politics collide.

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“Social media platforms are not neutral spaces. They reflect and magnify the social inequalities and tensions present in our society.”

Source: Module readings on race, gender, and social media, 2025

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Are a few people ruining the internet for the rest of us?

Why does the online world seem so toxic compared with normal life? Our research shows that a small number of divisive accounts could be resp

This article explains how a small group of very active users creates much of the political content and misinformation online. It shows how social media algorithms reward conflict and extreme views, making online spaces feel more divided than they really are. The piece encourages users to unfollow toxic accounts and rethink what they engage with to help create a healthier internet. This fits well with our module’s focus on how social media shapes identity and politics.