The Chaos Machine

4.5 scared/angry stars. I vaguely knew this info going in, but seeing it all in one place profoundly disturbed and alarmed me. The major social media companies (Alphabet/Google/YouTube, Facebook/Instagram, Twitter) are all fully aware that their machine-learning algorithms are pushing people towards more extreme content. Despite studies showing that this extremism directly led to tragedies like genocide in Myanmar and mass murders in Sri Lanka, not to mention Charlottesville and January 6, 2022 in our own country, the companies refuse to change their practices. They exist to make a profit, and more extreme videos = more engagement = more money.

Fisher introduces social psychology themes such as moral outrage and false polarization to explain how and why people become extremists. He also delves into the early years of Silicon Valley's ascendance, demonstrating the almost messianic and libertarian mindset of Zuckerberg, Dorsey and other CEOs.

I think it's time to suspend my social media accounts and maybe call a friend instead.