Social media: their rules, their game

The right-wing shitstorm against the EOTO event at the Volksbad, where black children were supposed to have the theater's swimming pool to themselves for a few hours one afternoon, was a devastating reminder: perhaps social media has had its day as a corrective.

The digital spaces we like to spend time in do not belong to those who share our progressive thinking. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg (including Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) replaced a total of 21,000 jobs with AI in 2023, and Elon Musk (X) was the largest donor to Trump's election campaign in 2024.

Both pursue authoritarian and anti-democratic intentions, because the foundation of their companies is not based on free expression, but on mass surveillance. Zuckerberg demonstrated for the first time how to extract huge amounts of data from the platforms with Facebook. The covert systems that made all user information available to AI found their way into all subsequent networks.

However, what is much more important for assessing whether these platforms serve as venues for political discussions is what rules there are for exchange. And above all, which content is preferred.

Meta does poorly. Even the updated guidelines assure users that they can use offensive language when discussing “religious or political issues such as transgender rights, immigration and homosexuality.”

If derogatory comments are reported anyway, the trust and safety teams will take care of the processing. Zuckerberg announced last year that he would move these teams from California to Texas - a state that is less liberal and much more anti-trans, anti-abortion and anti-immigrant.

The content that performs best on platforms like Tiktok isn't just that based on global trends. Studies show that right-wing content is more visible. If not necessarily because of his political orientation, then at the latest through emotionalizing and provocative language.

Other research shows that young, male users in particular are increasingly being suggested anti-feminist and right-wing videos. This makes social media not only an unregulated space, but also a breeding ground for conservative, right-wing thoughts.

Back to the Volksbad: When the scandal surrounding the statement of a Berlin CDU local politician was discussed on Instagram, the mass of contradiction felt like a moment that set something straight. The media classifies why the focus at a bathing event for decidedly black children should not be on the fact that white people feel excluded.

The only problem was that one thing was not taken into account: the potential for possible transformation towards greater justice, which is attributed to social media, has changed. Online debates attract those who act in a much more violent and discriminatory manner. This space that was sold to us as strengthening democracy has become more threatening.

This must not mean that debates no longer take place. Rather, we need to recognize which ideologies and values ​​are inherent in social media and who shapes them. Or also: who is protected and who is thrown to the others. Can we achieve the change we want there?