Online Public Sphere and Threats of Disinformation, Extremism and Hate Speech: Reflections on Threat-Mitigation

Abstract

Social media platforms have become gateways to information and news. These platforms potentially offer discursive arenas where individuals can participate in rational-critical discourses, resembling with the public sphere. Nonetheless, the threats linked with social media platforms stymie the public sphere potential of the latter. This article attempts to provide an overview of threats namely disinformation, ideological polarization and concomitant extremism and hate speech propagated through social media platforms. Drawing from multidisciplinary literature, we reflect upon solutions which include (1) strengthening of mainstream and professional journalism; (2) fact-checking; (3) platform-driven and technology-based solutions; (4) law enforcement and social media regulations; and (5) media literacy and care for truth. This article contributes to the literature on strengthening the public sphere potential of social media platforms.