It’s Time to Open the Black Box of Social Media
Scientific AmericanJUL 2022
Zuckerberg, the visionary founder of Facebook who radically changed the nature of the internet, has set his sights on the metaverse. Investors are clearly confident that Meta's Reality Labs will be a leader in the new space. This is laying the groundwork for very exciting 2030s.
Meta's positive results are little more than a temporary sugar high amidst a broader tech correction. The digital advertising market is saturated and consumers and regulators alike are waking up to the dangers of this model both for individuals and society.
It's not entirely clear what's happening. After two decades of immense profit and negligible oversight, it's high time for transparency: social media companies must start handing over their data to researchers and regulators so that we can get a better handle on the broader effects on society.