Events

Is social media destroying democracy?

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Is social media destroying democracy?

Siva Vaidhyanathan , Nicole Hemmer

Wednesday, June 06, 2018
11:00AM - 12:15PM (EDT)
Event Details

Social media has been connecting people from across the globe at a staggering rate. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook have been credited with sparking democratic movements, like those seen during the Arab Spring. However, Facebook also came under fire during the 2016 U.S. presidential election for facilitating the spread of misinformation. What are the real effects, both positive and negative, of social media on democracy across the globe? Does social media ultimately undermine progress and thought? In what ways does it continue to hold promise as a tool for democratic action and accountability? Siva Vaidhyanathan, Robertson Professor of Media Studies and director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at UVA, and Nicole Hemmer, assistant professor of Presidential Studies at the Miller Center, will discuss Vaidhyanathan’s new book Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy—focusing on social media, civil discourse, and the future of democracy.

This event is co-sponsored by the Presidential Precinct and American Evolution.

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The Presidential Precinct engages and inspires emerging leaders around the world to tackle the most pressing issues in their countries.

 

 

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American Evolution commemorates the 400th anniversary of several key events in Virginia in 1619 that continue to influence America today.

When
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
11:00AM - 12:15PM (EDT)
Where
The Miller Center
2201 Old Ivy Rd
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Speakers
Siva Vaidhyanathan

Siva Vaidhyanathan

Siva Vaidhyanathan is the Robertson Professor of Media Studies and director of the Center for Media and Citizenship at the University of Virginia, which produces a television show, a radio program, several podcasts, and the Virginia Quarterly Review magazine. He is the author of Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy (Oxford University Press, 2018).

Nicole Hemmer

Nicole Hemmer

Nicole Hemmer is an assistant professor in presidential studies at the Miller Center. She is an expert on the history of American politics and media. She is the author of Messengers of the Right, an overview of the history of conservative media activism in the United States.