Social media is corroding US democracy, according to Nobelist Maria Ressa

The US is "far worse off than you think" when it comes to social media undermining its democracy, according to Nobel Peace Prize laureate and journalist Maria Ressa. Ressa, a Filipino American co-founder of news organization Rappler, says the next wave of elections around the world, including the US midterms in November 2022, provides another opportunity for social media to spread disinformation, divide people against one another and incite violence. She argues nations need to require accountability for tech firms like Meta, which owns Facebook, and Twitter. Ressa also has hope that the EU will take steps to regulate social media companies as efforts in the US have stalled. But she warns that the global problem needs global solutions, both in law and practice by social media companies themselves. Independent news media "lost" in Russia, Ressa said. She raised concerns about the future of democracy next in Brazil, Kenya, and the US, which are dealing with similar threats of fractured information systems and have upcoming elections. "We will all end up like Russia if we don't do better," Ressa warned.