"Lies are more engaging online than truth," says former CIA analyst, diplomat and Facebook employee Yaël Eisenstat. "As long as [social media] algorithms' goals are to keep us engaged, they will feed us the poison that plays to our worst instincts and human weaknesses." In this bold talk, Eisenstat explores how social media companies like Facebook incentivize inflammatory content, contributing to a culture of political polarization and mistrust -- and calls on governments to hold these platforms accountable in order to protect civil discourse and democracy.

Yaël Eisenstat: Dear Facebook, this is how you're breaking democracy

Dear Facebook, this is how you're breaking democracy

Exploring the human craving for validation, the talk underscores empathy as a potent antidote to online polarization and extremism.

Social media's profit-driven algorithms fuel divisiveness, exploiting biases to erode civil discourse and undermine democracy's fabric.

An insider's plea for accountability: only through transparent, regulated social media can we protect democracy and foster true dialogue.