0665 - Is it time to regulate social media? What does the empirical evidence show and what are the policy challenges?
Course Description
Social media shapes how we receive news, form political opinions, and interact with one another, yet there is little consensus on whether, or how, it should be regulated. This lecture examines empirical evidence on social media's effects on polarization, mental health, and public opinion, drawing on recent interdisciplinary research from economics, political science, and behavioral science. Central to the debate is whether researchers can identify causal effects of social media on behaviour and beliefs, or whether the existing evidence remains correlational and therefore open to competing interpretations. The lecture reviews how researchers attempt to establish causality and what their findings imply for public policy. It also considers the practical challenges governments face when considering social media regulation, including trade-offs between free expression and harm reduction, the limits of existing policy tools, and the potential unintended consequences of policy interventions.
Instructor
Juan S. Morales is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is an applied micro-economist working in the fields of political economy and development economics, with particular research interests in media, conflict, political communication, and legislative behaviour. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Toronto and a BCS (Computer Science) from the University of Waterloo.
Location
Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, Community Pavilion (101 Father David Bauer Drive, Waterloo, ON)
- Parking is free.
- Download the facility map (PDF) to find facilities and parking lots.
Notes
- Lecture Time : 130-300 pm
- Lecture Cost: $16.00 + HST
- Participants must register before the day of the lecture.
- Laurier’s online registration system accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Visa Debit, and MasterCard Debit.
- You will only be able to purchase 1 seat at the time of registration. If looking to register more than 1 person, each registrant will require their own account to complete the registration.
- Lectures are non-refundable
Contact
If you have any questions please email lifelonglearning@wlu.ca