Social Media and Public vs Private Ownership w/ Dr Sander Zwanenburg

Social media as it exists currently is an oligopoly, with a handful of private companies controlling the structure and use of the platforms which mediate our communication not only with one another, but also with the public sphere. As these companies continue to amass considerable power, some have argued they are not suited for the great responsibility that comes with great power. Instead, they argue social media should be in the hands of democratic institutions.

Dr Sander Zwanenburg, an Information Science Lecturer at the University of Otago, is one such proponent of this view. Hanna spoke to him about the scale and scope of social media issues under private ownership, how things might look different under an alternative model, and whether such a transition is even possible.