With the benefit of some hindsight, should the internet have been more regulated

Sunny Disposition

We are still in the early days, 25 years ago most people would never have been online, even 20 years ago a substantial number wouldn't have been.

While there have been huge advances, I think social media has been something of a disaster. It has allowed rogue actors to influence Western elections, allowed propaganda and misinformation to spread very readily. It has also had serious implications for children's mental health.

I think it's obvious it has been a disaster, for instance we already know people with malicious intent will use it to try and subvert the US election this year.

I guess the question is where do we go from here, what can society do to tame social media and is there any will to do so.

Pauliedragon

I don't know how true this is but it's funny anyway.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/04/hooked-porn-remote-brazilian-tribe-internet-musk/

Electric Nitwit

The short answer is probably yes, but I think the practicalities of that would make it impossible

One thing I'd love to have been different is if they worked out a simple way to pay (ad-hoc) for content, reducing the need for advertising and clicks. I think the idea that news is free and supported by ads has really damaged journalism. I guess I'd like a degree of regulation on online advertising to limit clickbait etc. But, again, I'd say it's impossible in practical terms