Remember when platforms like Facebook told us they were going to bring the world closer together? When we still believed the internet would elevate the best ideas, amplify what was smart, thoughtful, or at least useful? That era didn’t quite materialize.
Instead of offering us clarity or connection, social media seems to stir the pot and serve us what triggers the loudest reaction—usually outrage. The algorithms aren’t tuned to truth, but to friction. After an hour of scrolling, I often feel like I understand the world less, not more.
But I’m not breaking any news here. Most of us have felt it—that strange fatigue, the compulsive reach for the phone, the regret that follows. What’s interesting is how rarely this issue finds space in political conversations. Maybe it’s because elected officials don’t quite know how to take on global tech giants. What can a country like Denmark or Portugal really do when the problem is engineered in Silicon Valley?
Still, some form of regulation is clearly overdue—especially at the European level. Not to silence platforms, but to hold them to standards that put people before algorithms.
Of course, social media isn’t entirely awful. If it were, we wouldn’t still be on it. There are moments of connection, humor, and even insight. But those moments feel increasingly rare.
That’s why I find myself drawn to slower forms of information again—spaces where thoughtfulness can breathe. Good journalism, thoughtful writing, shared reflection. No algorithmic rage. Just the attempt to make sense of a complex world, without shouting.
Meta—Facebook’s parent company—was just fined €200 million by the European Commission. An eye-catching number. Imagine what legacy media or independent journalism could do with even a fraction of that.
It’s worth considering what kind of digital world we want to live in. Not just as individuals—but as citizens. There’s a difference.
Between the Lines 
Leave a comment