The Negative Side of Social Media and the Creator Economy, According to Reddit Co-Founder Alexis Ohanian
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian recently expressed his concerns regarding the current state of social media and the creator economy. Speaking at an event at the University of Virginia, Ohanian described how people have become obsessed with gaining likes, retweets, and upvotes, resulting in a negative impact on society.
The Pessimistic View
Ohanian admitted that he has his fair share of guilt related to the influence of social media. However, he believes that the pendulum will eventually swing back, and people will realize the need for something better to understand the world. He even theorized that the ongoing war in the Middle East could be the tipping point.
Reddit’s Troubled Past
Ohanian’s concerns about social media are not unfounded, given the history of his own platform. He stepped down from Reddit’s board in 2020 due to differences in opinion about moderation and addressing communities promoting violence and hate. However, Reddit has since taken steps to ban toxic communities and has improved both as a platform and as a business.
The Dark Side of Social Media
Ohanian expressed his worries about how social media platforms bring out the worst in people. The desire to be the first to post and win on leaderboards often leads to the spread of misinformation. He pointed out that user-generated content becomes the center of conversations, even if it may not always be accurate. He emphasized the need for people to take a step back and wait for reliable sources to offer analysis and insights.
The Unintended Consequences of Tech Startups
Ohanian shared that he never anticipated the immense influence that Reddit would eventually wield. He believes that part of the problem lies in the original development of social media platforms. These platforms were created without considering the significant impact they could have on democracy and elections. Additionally, an increase in the number of people online has brought about new complications, exposing individuals to conflicting ideologies and versions of the truth.
The Challenge of Verifying Truth
Ohanian acknowledged the difficulty of asking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit to verify truth and accuracy. He also called out the Chinese-owned platform TikTok for its ability to manipulate content consumption. Although he commended Twitter’s community notes as a step in the right direction for moderation, he dismissed the idea of any platform truly representing a public square or democracy due to the absence of democratic elections.
Hope for the Future
Despite his concerns, Ohanian remains hopeful. He believes that the founders of the startups his fund invests in are more aware of the issues surrounding social media than he ever was. While he acknowledges that addictive platforms may still exist in the future, he hopes that they won’t disrupt democracy further. Ohanian envisions a rebirth of live gatherings and in-person experiences as a way to reconnect with humanity and overcome the limitations of artificial intelligence.
Ultimately, Ohanian sees a path forward and believes that finding common ground can lead to positive change. However, he acknowledges that solving the problems associated with social media and the creator economy is a challenging task, as they are deeply rooted in human nature.
