Can we design social media to make us better at disagreeing?
About Event
Much of the conversation about algorithmic social media has focused on its failures: polarization, outrage, echo chambers, and the enormous power platforms have over what billions of people see. But a growing body of research is asking: what would happen if we changed the algorithms themselves?
A few of us have been testing these questions directly, running large-scale experiments with real social media users to understand how different algorithms affect political attitudes and polarization. Our research suggests that “bridging” algorithms, which elevate content that resonates across divides, can reduce polarization without simply removing political content or disagreement.
We’ll discuss what these experiments have taught us about how information systems shape conflict, where the research remains uncertain, and what it might mean to intentionally design social media around different goals.
We’ll also introduce GreenEarth, a new algorithmic feed built on the open ATProto network that puts some of that thinking into practice. Rather than leaving the composition of your feed entirely to a platform, GreenEarth lets you directly control how your algorithm works and experiment with what a different kind of social media environment might feel like!
Try the feed here, and learn more about it here.
🕰 Flow / Schedule
6:30 – 6:40 Arrival
6:45 – 7:15 Talks
7:15 - 7:30 Q/A
7:30 – 8:00 Group discussion
8:00 – 8:30 Shareouts + Closing + Mingling
👥 Facilitators
Jonathan Stray is a Senior Scientist at the Center for Human-Compatible AI at UC Berkeley, where he works on the design of AI-driven media with a particular interest in well-being and conflict.
Ansh Juneja: is a product manager and writer focused on technology, social media, and how we can design healthier online information environments.
Who This Is For
🏛 About The Commons
The Commons is a community-based "Fourth Place" that is located in the heart of San Francisco. By day, it is a playful co-working space; by night, a vibrant community meeting house.
🚪 Arrival Info
The Commons is located at 550 Laguna St, San Francisco (corner of Hayes & Laguna).
Enter via the stairway under The Commons sign at the basement level.