What to expect in 2018: Fake news, privacy, a fundamental contradiction

As 2017 ended, Facebook found itself under fire, and the ways in which the giants of social media handle these issues will determine the ways in which the world consumes and processes information in 2018.

Written by Aakash Joshi | Updated: January 3, 2018 12:29 am

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As 2017 ended, Facebook found itself under fire, and the ways in which the giants of social media handle these issues will determine the ways in which the world consumes and processes information in 2018. (Illustration: Subrata Dhar)

In 2017, the way many people perceive social media and the larger discourse around it, took a decidedly negative turn. From being the Prometheus — the character from Greek mythology who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man — who connected us to each other like never before, the online networks metamorphosed into Pandora’s Box, now open and facilitating everything from the “rigging” of overseas elections to the amplification of abuse and misogyny. As 2017 ended, Facebook found itself under fire, and the ways in which the giants of social media handle these issues will determine the ways in which the world consumes and processes information in 2018.