How to Regulate Social Media

A Third Way Between Allowing Anything and Making Social Media into Editors

If social media companies remove content they dislike, that is obviously problematic. However, allowing anything to be posted is equally concerning. Is there a third way? Let’s examine some of the reasons why social media is so destructive today.

Fix the Toxic Algorithms

Social media algorithms, which determine what content users see, are typically designed to exploit flaws in human psychology to keep people hooked. They often promote divisive and enraging content because it maximizes engagement.

A potential solution is to establish ethics boards involved in designing these algorithms. When corporations attempt to manipulate users into addiction, these boards could intervene. The goal should be to enlighten the public, not simply to keep them addicted to extremist content.

There are multiple ways to structure an ethics board. One approach is to include employees, who are less profit-driven than a corporate board of shareholders. Another option is a jury-style selection process, where randomly chosen members of the public, without financial ties to the company, rotate in and out of the board to maintain independence.