Four Facebook users have been detained by police in Hanoi and a central province for allegedly trespassing on state interests.
Social Media and Democracy articles on Democracy Chronicles
This Social Media and Democracy section highlights the ongoing saga of how this new type of communications technology impacts the progress of free and fair elections across the globe. Whether social media brings benefit or harm to democracy is an area of heavy debate. Be sure to also check out our Election Technology section and our articles on Technology Dissidents, the Internet and Voting or Journalism and Free Speech.
How Political Science Can Go Dangerously Viral
Given the importance of what political science studies, from democratization to genocide, a false concept escaping might be dangerous.
Egypt Targets TikTokers And Digital Dissidents
There is a contradiction between Egypt’s rapid development of the digital economy and state control of the media, with arrests of tiktokers.
Slamming Political Rivals To Go Viral On Social Media
Posts about the “political outgroup” get twice as many shares on social media as posts on people, ideas within one’s own political tribe.
Vietnam Introduces National Social Media Guidelines
New social media guidelines in Vietnam urge people to express positive things about the state. The rules enforce government control.
Democratizing Power of the Social-Media Stock Market
BitClout reduces everything—art, humor, and personhood—to monetary value, revealing who and what we are prepared to pay for.
Bing Censors Image Search for ‘Tank Man’ Worldwide
China restricts information about the tank man and Tiananmen Square more generally. In Hong Kong, it outlawed this year’s commemoration.
Facebook To End Special Treatment For Politicians
Facebook intends to end a content moderation policy that exempts politicians from most of the restrictions that apply to other users.
Online Calls for Vietnam Democracy Increasingly Punished
Unlike China, communist Vietnam has not felt compelled to block US social media platforms from its domestic internet. This is changing.
Experts: Social Media Algorithms Threaten Democracy
Tuesday’s Senate hearing pitted social media giants against researchers who argued social media algorithms threaten democracy.