Policy Brief No. 20 APLN/CNND 1 Policy Brief #22 October 2018 Social Media Impacts on Social & Political Goods: A Peacebuilding Perspective Lisa Schirch The Toda Peace Institute and the Alliance for Peacebuilding are hosting a series of policy briefs discussing social media impacts on social and political goods. Over the next several months, top experts and thought leaders will provide insight into social media’s threats and opportunities. This first briefing provides a conceptual summary, and a set of policy recommendations to address the significant threats to social and political goods. The Full Report provides a more in-depth literature review and explanation of key themes. ABSTRACT Social media is both an asset and a threat to social and political goods. This first in a series of policy briefs on social media aims to build the capacity of civil society to understand the economic and psychological appeal of social media, identify the range of opportunities and challenges related to social media, and promote discussion on potential solutions to these challenges. Currently, few in civil society or government understand how social media works. Technology experts and investor-oriented social media platforms cannot address the opportunities and challenges brought by social media capabilities. Together, government, corporations, and civil society, need to find ways to respond to the growing crisis of social media ethics and impacts. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY • All forms of media hold the potential for both solving and amplifying social and political problems. Media is, as its Latin root suggests, “in the middle”; it is a channel for communication between people. • Social media vastly increases the amount of information and communication available to people. Social media is a “supply-side shock to the amount of freedom in the world.” (Shirky 2008) Social media has been a massive technological experiment both for and against democracy.