Obama: Misuse of social media killing debate
BARACK Obama warned yesterday that misuse of social media is crippling understanding of the world and stifling healthy political debate.
In an interview with Prince Harry, the former US president made comments that were seen as a barb at his Twitter-obsessed successor Donald Trump.
He said the internet ‘simplifies’ issues and allows users to become ‘cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases’.
Mr Obama added: ‘As we’re working with young people to build up platforms for social change, we need to make sure they don’t think that just sending out a hashtag is bringing about change.
‘It can be a powerful way to raise awareness, but then you have to get on the ground and actually do something.’
President Trump has drawn widespread criticism for the way he uses Twitter to attack opponents and condemn what he brands ‘fake news’.
Harry has himself frequently criticised social media, and has on several occasions urged youngsters to ‘look up from their phones’ and get involved with the world around them.
In his guest editorship of BBC Radio 4’s flagship Today programme, the prince pointed out that the social media landscape has ‘changed dramatically’ since Mr Obama became president in 2009. He said: ‘Issues of trolling, extremism, fake news and cyber bullying are now major social issues.’
Mr Obama, 56, responded: ‘We need to make sure that online communities don’t just stay online.
‘Social media is a powerful tool for people of common interests to get to know each other and connect, but it’s important for them to get offline, meet in a pub or at a place of worship or neighbourhood and get to know each other.’
Mr Obama said he is ‘really obsessed with training the next generation of leaders to make their mark on the world’.