Obama Says Be Wary of Social Media 'Dangers' in Interview with Prince Harry

Monica Sanchez | December 27, 2017
DONATE
Font Size

Obama Sits with Prince Harry

Image via BBC Radio / Screenshot

Former President Obama in a sit-down interview with Great Britain’s Prince Harry warned of the “dangers” of the internet and social media.

He said that one of the dangers of the internet is that people “can be cocooned in information that reinforces” their biases.

"One of the dangers of the internet is that people can have entirely different realities,” said Obama in a BBC Radio 4 interview recorded in September during the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada. “They can be cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases.”

"It's also, by the way, harder to be as obnoxious and cruel in person as people can be anonymously on the internet," he said. 

The former president added that leaders have a responsibility “to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the internet.”

"The question I think really has to do with how do we harness this technology in a way that allows a multiplicity of voices, allows a diversity of views, but doesn't lead to a Balkanization of society, but rather allows ways of finding common ground," said Obama.

He went on to say that while social media platforms are powerful tools “for people of common interests” to connect, face-to-face communication is paramount to get to know others.

"Social media is a really powerful tool for people of common interests to convene and get to know each other and connect. But then it's important for them to get offline, meet in a pub, meet at a place of worship, meet in a neighborhood and get to know each other," Obama said.

"Because the truth is that on the internet, everything is simplified and when you meet people face-to-face it turns out they're complicated," he said.

Obama warned earlier this month to "think before you tweet" at a journalism summit in New Delhi. 

“Michelle was giving the general idea ... that don’t say the first thing that pops in your head. Have a little bit of an edit function ... think before you speak, think before you tweet," he said.

President Trump often uses Twitter and his tweets regularly make headlines, with every news outlet analyzing every word and criticizing his liberal use of the social media platform. 

Obama did not mention President Trump by name during the BBC Radio 4 interview aired on Wednesday. 

Thank you for supporting MRTV! As a tax-deductible, charitable organization, we rely on the support of our readers to keep us running! Keep MRCTV going with your gift here!

donate