Social Media and its Negative Impacts on Autonomy

Abstract

How social media impacts the autonomy of its users is a topic of increasing focus. However, much of the literature that explores these impacts fails to engage in depth with the philosophical literature on autonomy. This has resulted in a failure to consider the full range of impacts that social media might have on autonomy. A deeper consideration of these impacts is thus needed, given the importance of both autonomy as a moral concept and social media as a feature of contemporary life. By drawing on this philosophical literature, we argue that autonomy is broadly a matter of developing autonomy competencies, having authentic ends and control over key aspects of your own life, and not being manipulated, coerced, and controlled by others. We show how the autonomy of users of social media can be disrespected and harmed through the control that social media can have over its users’ data, attention, and behaviour. We conclude by discussing various recommendations to better regulate social media.

Exposure to Alcohol‐Related Content on Social‐Media

“…Another layer to consider in the context of exposure to alcohol‐related content on social media is the misperceived notion of user autonomy in choosing what content they get exposed to ( 46 ). In reality, social media algorithms can and do interfere with a user's autonomy in that regard by controlling or manipulating a user's attention or focus based on their interactions with the content or other social media users using a platform or simply based on their demographic data.…”

“…In reality, social media algorithms can and do interfere with a user's autonomy in that regard by controlling or manipulating a user's attention or focus based on their interactions with the content or other social media users using a platform or simply based on their demographic data. As a result, a user may be exposed to more of a specific type of content per the discretion of the algorithm and not completely content they chose ( 46 ).…”

Academics’ Epistemological Attitudes towards Academic Social Networks and Social Media

“…SM can control user data, attention, and behaviour, which can lead to disregarding their capabilities and harm their autonomy competencies. This includes impairing their ability to independently select content, influencing their desires, distorting their true, practical identities, and limiting critical reflection [26]. The consequences of being addicted to SM, such as developing personal identity and image disorders [27], are more severe.…”

The Authority to Moderate: Social Media Moderation and its Limits

“…Simultaneously, certain social media platforms have become a breeding ground for hate speech, which is in and of itself harmful (see, for example, Waldron, 2012), and which is often directed at women, members of the LGBTQI + community, and racial minorities Suzor, 2019). The largely opaque algorithmic moderation of user-generated content can also undermine and disrespect user autonomy (Sahebi & Formosa, 2022), lead to widespread and serious mental health issues in vulnerable populations, especially young people (Klein, 2023), and promote the circulation of misinformation (Barnes, 2022) and magnify affective polarisation (Cho et al, 2020).…”

“…Increasing concerns around social media's impacts on political belief formation (Lewandowsky et al, 2019), extremism (West, 2021), radicalisation (Alfano et al, 2020), privacy violations (Sahebi & Formosa, 2022), lowering self-esteem (Cingel et al, 2022), and the formation of echo chambers (Terren & Borge-Bravo, 2021) have all lent increasing weight to recent efforts to better regulate the way that social media companies moderate content on their platforms. However, less attention has been given to the philosophical questions that underwrite these efforts.…”