Are Social Media Debates as Bad as We Think?
Opinion Column by: Lei’Lani Townsend
We all know the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
And for the most part, we know how it plays out in face-to-face interactions. But what does the First Amendment have to do with online interactions? For example, what about social media?
Most people have social media, whether it’s Instagram, TikTok, or one of the other various platforms. For the most part, we have all learned how to properly behave online and have healthy discussions. However, there are some cases of online debates becoming quite intense, with some of them being violent.
The truth of the matter is that everybody has the right to say whatever they want within reason, which is good for the most part. With that, it can open up unnecessary debates about everyday opinions.
I believe as a society have to learn how to let people have their own opinion, which comes with their own right to freedom of speech without having to discuss it or debate. I believe that is the reason for all of the unhealthy debates, because of the notion that everything has to be debatable and challenged.
A common saying on socials goes, “Drink water and mind your business.” Truly, this is the pinnacle of what has to be done as social media consumer. More than ever, social media has become an important part of learning about sports, culture, has become an important part of learning about sports, culture, cooking, and especially politics. People face backlash by speaking their truth on various things, whether it be a cultural recipe, song choices, or a favorite sports team.
A study conducted by UC-Berkeley focused on the psychological aspect of this discussion with Erica R. Bailey leading the findings in the study. Bailey noted that “online debates often feel artificial, with people less willing to openly share their personal experiences and more often just trying to make a point.”
I thought this was timely with this topic because when you research various topics, you notice that the debate usually doesn’t end. It goes on for awhile until somebody just stops responding. If you think about it, half the time the things people debate aren’t even that serious to begin with. So, people are just talking to fill space, which can get annoying.
Even though social media has great benefits, as ShaElla Askew mentions, social media has helped her connect with many people across the world on “humanitarian” topics; these debates have been prevalent, dimming the consumer experience.
Askew, a local Birmingham communications and community strategist, believes the main reason that these debates occur is because of the benefit of being monetized.
“It’s clickbait,” she said. “I don’t think people would have so much to say if the platforms stopped paying users for content.”
When social media first started, back in the late ‘90s, it was only a platform for social connections and communication, leaving no way for sources of income to come from it. However, around the mid-2000s to mid-2010s, people started to gain the ability to make a profit off of social media with the use of AdSense.
A Google feature, AdSense allowed bloggers to gain revenue based on the number of clicks on ads with blogs. This same concept appeared on YouTube through the Partner Program, which allowed creators to share in the ad revenue generated from their videos.
Transitioning to the 2010s era came the rise of the Instagram models, who were paid directly by brands for sponsored posts, including product placements. By the late 2010s, the mass growth of the digital “side hustle” market boomed. With features such as affiliate marketing and dropshipping, creators gained the ability to diversify their income away from solely platform ad revenue. During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone, of varying ages, was online not only to seek entertainment, but to find new sources of income to replace their previous income, which for many had been interrupted.
From the prevalence of these platforms comes the ability to speak your mind. Most people think, “Why is that a bad thing? I mean, our parents taught us to tell others how we truly feel, no matter what.”
And this is true, to some extent. Under the First Amendment, you do have the right to freedom of speech. However, people are not obligated to agree with you in the same way; for instance, there is no obligation to respond or comment on a post.
With people always eavesdropping and inserting their insights on everything, it starts to make the online communities toxic. I have found myself not wanting to interact on social media, not out of fear of perception, but just the mere not wanting to hear everyone’s opinions about everything all the time.
As people, we consume great amounts of stimulation every day. On the way to work, you may watch the news, listen to music or the radio, a podcast, or an audiobook. Throughout the day, you consume emails, Zoom meetings, conversations, and social media breaks that fill your mind. And when, at the end of the day, you finally get the chance to breathe, you scroll online just to see a debate online about which coffee flavor is better. At least, for me, on that alone, I am ready to go to bed just seeing that.
In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 19 states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
This document, which was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, gives the notion that in whatever medium, and no matter how other people feel, there is a right to freedom of expression.
So, how does this relate to social media?
Everybody has their opinions on so much online, whether it be music, politics, specific business models, or even simply coffee. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, as stated not only in the First Amendment but also in the UDHR. Now, there is no law saying that you have to agree or even respect their opinion. However, being able to recognize that someone does share that opinion is key and what makes for a respectable and open digital space.
All in all, social media should be a place where people can freely express themselves, no matter what opinions they have. They have that First Amendment Right. Let people live in their rights without being challenged.