Can our society delete Facebook?
Background
Facebook (or, should we say, Meta?) has been accused of many sins: violating users’ privacy and deceiving them about it, worsening mental health problems such as negative body image, spreading misinformation, enabling exploitation and human trafficking, and unraveling the social fabric that makes democracy possible – to name just a few.
Is it worth it? Read the top arguments on both sides to decide yourself!
Discussion Questions
1. The “Pro-deleting” side gives many different reasons to believe that Facebook is bad for society. Which of these reasons do you find most compelling, and why?
2. If you agree that Facebook is bad for society more generally, does that give you sufficient reason to delete your own personal account? Why or why not?
3. The “Anti-deleting” side argues that Facebook plays an important role in fostering positive social movements and increasing civic engagement. Have you ever personally increased your participation in a positive social cause because of something you saw on social media?
4. Can you imagine yourself actually living without any social media? Why or why not?
For more resources to help with classroom discussions, check out our Teachers Pay Teachers page!
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