‘Civility’ is a loaded word, and we need it more than ever

Eli Pariser explains why we can't just think of civility as being polite to one another.

  • Often, disenfranchised groups are seen as acting uncivil when they protest their conditions, such as the civil rights movement, the #metoo movement, and others.
  • In this way, the word 'civility' can be subverted to refer to maintaining the status quo. Instead, we should reframe our idea of civility as a respect for human dignity, rather than mere politeness.
  • The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the views of the Charles Koch Foundation, which encourages the expression of diverse viewpoints within a culture of civil discourse and mutual respect.
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Sponsored by Charles Koch Foundation

Zuckerberg deepfake video tests Facebook's rules

Can you tell this video is fake?

Bill Posters/Daniel Howe/Canny
  • A new deepfake video shows Mark Zuckerberg saying words he never spoke.
  • The video was likely created in an attempt to challenge Facebook's policies on fake content.
  • Facebook was recently criticized for not removing a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that was doctored to make it seem like she was drunk.
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Technology & Innovation

What’s wrong with the internet? We’d rather “display” than communicate.

Jonathan Rauch explains why the internet is so hostile to the truth, and what we can do to change that.

  • Disruptive technologies tend to regress humanity back to our default mode: deeply ingrained tribalism.
  • Rather than using the internet to communicate, many people use it to display their colors or group affinity, like tribespeople wearing face paint. Fake news spreads faster than truth in these tribal environments.
  • How can we solve this problem without censorship? Platforms like Facebook and Google are tilting the playing field to be more pro-truth by asking people to stop, think, and take responsibility.
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Sponsored by the Institute for Humane Studies

The key to ending online hate? Treat it like a virus.

It will take a crack team of scientists, programmers and philosophers to cure on the online hate pandemic.

  • If online hate is a contagion, as suggested by neuroscientist Joel Finkelstein, then perhaps the most effective course of action will come from treating it as a virus: Gather an interdisciplinary team of minds to study the mechanics of the virus and treat it.
  • The internet is as big a disruption to society as the printing press was. Sarah Ruger sees the road toward social peace as one where neuroscientists, technologists, conflict resolution theorists and philosophers all work together to create a digital culture that brings out the best in humanity, not the worst.


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Sponsored by Charles Koch Foundation

Revolt on the horizon? How young people really feel about digital technology

GenTech aren't happy about how their data is being collected and used.

As digital technologies facilitate the growth of both new and incumbent organisations, we have started to see the darker sides of the digital economy unravel.

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Technology & Innovation