Social Media & Platform Politics: The (Un)intended Consequences for Democracy
The Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue
Nov 14, 2018 — 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Presentation
The Centre for Law, Technology and Society is delighted to present:
Social media platforms allow people to connect and share information at an incredible scale, but with these benefits come challenges including security, privacy, and human rights concerns. Citizens, businesses, civil society, labour groups, governments, and platforms alike are struggling to balance these risks and rewards. This panel discussion examines how social media platforms currently function, how they could function to achieve societal goals, and what is required to achieve these goals.
The University of Ottawa’s Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue is pleased to host the public discussion, Social Media & Platform Politics: the (un)intended Consequences of Social Media on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 from17h00 to 20h00 on the University of Ottawa campus. A panel of leading experts will open the black box of social media platforms to examine how they function, and strategies for mitigating their unintended consequences for democracy.
The embedding of social media platforms into peoples’ daily routines is blurring boundaries between public and private spheres, altering how we understand the logic of civic engagement and democracy. Some view the erosion of these boundaries as a source of optimism about the emancipatory potential of social media. Others contend these platforms are further entrenching economic and social inequalities. A deeper understanding of the technological properties of social media platforms is central to harnessing the opportunities they afford while minimizing their negative potentials.
The Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue is pleased to welcome Dr. Tarleton Gillespie (Microsoft Research New England), Dr. Sandra González-Bailón (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania) and Jane Lytvynenko (BuzzFeed News) to discuss these important issues.
The event will also be streamed on Facebook Live.