Social Media can change minds, I think. It also encourages the creation of echo chambers as we all seek affirmation for whatever our beliefs are. It distorts reality in this way, and makes small things appear to be far larger. Worse, it throws out news stories, pushes particular posts or feeds, and generally can control the entire tone of a discussion - which is why foreign nations have become adept at using the internet to foster division and fear.
The central, issue is that we rely on individuals to determine what is true and what is not, what is fact and what is not, etc. I think it's proven at this point that people like to feel a sense of belonging, to a point of believer and therefore promoting extremism. In today's world I think this is self evident. It's worth keeping in mind that much of the content on these platforms is being controlled to one extent or another by the people running the algorithms. Look at how much people over-share as an instance.
For example, if I came up to a stranger on the street and asked for their name, the area they live, where they work, where they were last night, etc. I'd likely get laughed at. But with a good picture and an image search, I may well be able to find out all of that information and more. And there's nothing nefarious about it, it's simply a incidental by-product of using Social Media.
So I think we disagree on this point. I don't see the greater potential for evil in the government. I see it in extremist groups who use the net to propagate their message. That's where the danger lies. Again, I think this is self-evident today - look at the kind of debates that go on, this mis-information, etc.
Not that granny who is just sharing pictures and keeping up with the family can be construed a danger, but we're not the bad guys and gals.
I just watched a movie called Accused (2023). It's a savage tale, compressed into 90 minutes, of what the net does (obviously to a lesser extent). It might be worth checking out.
