Is Social Media a Threat to Democracy? Our Purpose In this paper, we examine six key issues and implications presented by social media participation and manipulation, and we cite examples of what we and others are doing—or could do—to possibly mitigate their negative impact. We were inspired to draft this paper because the current instability in democracies—caused in part by increasing political polarization, the trust deficit vis-à-vis institutions and elites, and the spread of mis-and disinformation across the globe—is causing potentially irrevocable harm to our fundamental rights. Our objective in sharing this initial analysis and the questions we have is to begin a productive dialogue among diverse stakeholders on this important topic. Our contributors have a particular interest in the intersection between technology and democracy as representatives of two philanthropies that are part of The Omidyar Group—Democracy Fund and Omidyar Network. Both organizations devote significant resources to exploring the impact of technology and digital communication on our global society. A Call to Action We look forward to continued sense-making and exploring possibilities to partner with others as we search for answers. Please email the authors at inquiries@omidyargroup.com if you’d like to discuss how we might work together. © Copyright The Omidyar Group 2017. All rights reserved. PAGE 2