19 Jan Social media: a radicalisation for the masses
If searching on Google for the definition of radicalisation, you will receive ‘the action or process of causing someone to adopt radical positions on political or social issues.’
Various governments have consistently raised concerns over the rise in individuals becoming radicalised by extremist groups, particularly online. The UK report on safeguarding and radicalisation from the Department for Education, 2017, discusses identifying vulnerable individuals and priority areas of concern as a strategy for combatting radicalisation. However, with its reach, is it fair to suggest that social media is encouraging millions of its users to adopt radical, political or social positions, thus becoming radicalised? Social media companies claim that they monitor content, but algorithms continue to spread disinformation, hostile ideologies, and hyperbolic hate speech. Over social media platforms, polarising discourse is actively spreading to vulnerable individuals globally.
When mainstream media contains headlines reporting a case of radicalisation, the immediate assumptions present a naive individual immersed in repetitive persuasive and misleading information. Sound familiar? Over social media, an individual that has clicked or even hesitated over a post can quickly be sent down the rabbit hole of conspiracy, propaganda, misinformation and disinformation, relentless in its intentions. Supported by its business model that is intertwined with algorithmic amplification, without question or query, social media bombards the user with suggested posts, articles, and people who may share such beliefs, ideals or opinions. If you ignore its helpful suggestions, your phone will regularly ping notifications drawing you back into the debate and connecting you to those with similar or opposing beliefs to increase your engagement.
Social media companies could argue that if your searches are innocent, maybe related to baking, gardening or flower arranging, what’s the issue? They would be correct. Nevertheless, with Facebook reporting close to 3 billion users, Twitter over 300 million, Instagram and TikTok over 1 billion, and YouTube seeing approximately 122 million users daily, the potential for more than a handful of immoral searches means the spread of harm is dangerously destabilising for society. With relentless attempts to keep us all engaged, social media can quickly elevate to persuasive technology. For example, since the Pandemic, leading anti-vaxxers influencers and followers are estimated to have generated up to $1.1 billion in annual revenues for the leading social media companies; these companies argue that they have, in response, removed millions of pieces of harmful information and provided alternative campaigns.
As a result, our importance in protecting the freedom of speech has now collided head-on in the same space as some spread radical ideologies. With the abundance of news outlets now fighting for the number one article of the day, hyperbolic language, misleading headlines, and loosely researched articles appear and disappear on social media hourly. Unfortunately, even when posts are removed, the speed at which they’ve been promoted can mean the damage has already occurred. Supported by back-slapping tribes that validate the propaganda, those vulnerable, easily persuaded or unaware of critical thinking are left susceptible to radicalisation, which can potentially be millions daily. Even those of us who can determine right from wrong are absorbing, liking, and sharing information that we don’t know is factual or produced by bots. For those under 30, Astroturfing is no longer the term used to describe your lawn; it now refers to grassroots efforts to influence public opinion on the internet; this can mean manipulating thoughts by planting comments with masked identities. The slow wheels and restrictions of legislation, the ability to remain anonymous online and the lack of accountability are frightening; unless we begin to educate the masses, we will begin to risk the potential for mass radicalisation.
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