The problem of fighting for democracy using social media, is that the ones controlling the algorithm are precisely the ones that don’t want the “left” to succeed. It is essentially fighting a battle in the enemy’s field, where they control the land itself. At small scales, it might work. But it will never work when it comes to true important positions. I’d go as far as to say that the mirage that it works in cases like Mandani is part of their plan, to keep the left locked in their platforms “because that’s what works”. Here in my country, Brazil, I could clearly see the impacts of the algorithm changes they put in place after 2011, after the pro-democracy movements that started on Facebook. Their networks started to curb engagement from the left, and massively boost fake news, right-wing content, ultra nationalism, and such. It’s naive to think that social media can be used to win the populace back to the left. They’ll never let it happen.
The problem of fighting for democracy using social media, is that the ones controlling the algorithm are precisely the ones that don’t want the “left” to succeed. It is essentially fighting a battle in the enemy’s field, where they control the land itself. At small scales, it might work. But it will never work when it comes to true important positions. I’d go as far as to say that the mirage that it works in cases like Mandani is part of their plan, to keep the left locked in their platforms “because that’s what works”. Here in my country, Brazil, I could clearly see the impacts of the algorithm changes they put in place after 2011, after the pro-democracy movements that started on Facebook. Their networks started to curb engagement from the left, and massively boost fake news, right-wing content, ultra nationalism, and such. It’s naive to think that social media can be used to win the populace back to the left. They’ll never let it happen.