tech
February 14, 2026
Given the toxicity of social media, a moral question now faces all of us: is it still ethical to use it?
With so many platforms rife with racism, misogyny and far-right rhetoric, there must be a point where decent people walk away
TL;DR
- Social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack are rife with racism, misogyny, and far-right rhetoric.
- Elon Musk's X has been criticized for boosting right-wing content and allowing the creation of sexualized images of women and girls.
- Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have faced accusations of data collection, election interference, and negatively impacting teenage girls' body images.
- TikTok has been criticized for exploiting children and exposing them to self-harm content.
- Substack is making money from hosting Nazi newsletters, which espouse white supremacy, Holocaust denial, and antisemitism.
- Social media has become a key way of connecting with others, and a lifeline for oppressed people, making it difficult to disengage.
- The platforms we seek escapism in are increasingly demonstrating the darkness we wish to avoid.
- Politicians continue to use social media to reach the electorate, but this normalizes harmful behavior when tacitly condoned by those in power.
- Logging off X would be a positive step for politicians wishing to show disdain for sexual abuse or the far right.
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