The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn - Is Social Media A Cancer?

Episode Date: September 18, 2025

Social media was a much heralded community sharing experience at its inception, but is it still so? It's this week's question and answers came from across the country. Views are divided, and both sides present strong arguments for their opinions. Plus, the Random Ranter drops by with his latest rant -- this time on Jimmy Kimmel's departure from ABC. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. It's Thursday. That means your turn. The question this week is social media a cancer? Your answers. And the random ranter coming right up. Hello there, Peter Mansbridge, with your Thursday, your turn.

I got to tell you, we've had a lot of answers to a lot of different questions on your turn over the last year or two. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything quite like this. Lots of mail. Lots of it. They're way more than we need to fill a show. Probably twice as much as we need to fill a show. I'm going to get through as many as I can today.

they're good and you know once again um i thank you for your thoughts basically comes down to yes i think it's a cancer no i don't but the reasoning why on this is really good it's very interesting both sides so um we'll we'll get right to it but i also want to thank you for i have a lot of mail since we came back at the beginning of this month after a summer break with you know people's reflections on the program people's ideas about different things we could do

and I appreciate all them you know I I never have time to reply to everybody because there are so many and as I've whined to you before it's kind of lonely here it's you know it's a kind of a one-man band

with the exception of Willie who helps on social media and fills in every once in a while. And he'll be doing that again soon, filling in on the Thursday program on your turn. So I know there's some Willie fans out there, and so hold your breath. You'll get to hear them again soon. But I appreciate everything you write, and your ideas don't always agree with them, as some of you will know. but at the same time I appreciate hearing from you

and your thoughts and I'm sorry I just simply don't have time to reply to everybody and also a lot of people send me manuscripts of books they're they have either written

or considering writing and publishing and one of my thoughts on it I don't have time honest you should go with your gut you know it feels good to you

publish or self-publish on these things and I can't write blurbs for everybody because that just waters down the value of blurbs if I do it for everything that's sent to me quite frankly I've got dozens of potential books and books, new books

sitting on my desk that people send to me I just don't have time but I appreciate the work that you've put into them having knowing what it's like writing a book mark bulgutche and i have a new one coming out mark's done most of the work on it but it's going to be a good one an important one i think um and we'll be able to talk to you about that soon it won't be coming out till next year but we're basically into the final editing process on it okay let's get to your letters the question once again as a result of all the turmoil of

last week or so. And as a result, I think of a changing changing feelings towards social media. The question is, is social media or has social media become a cancer on society? So let's get to it. Francois du Placis in Calgary. Social media began as a hopeful platform to connect people on spark interest-based dialogue. Yet it's now high hijacked by profit-driven corporations that exploit our attention for revenue.

The unexpected consequence has been the division of people into echo chambers where all you're exposed to is the narrative that confirms your own bias. Our minds have been hacked and are now being exploited for profit and political gain. It is indeed a cancer. Bill Archibald in Ennis More, Ontario. That's, I guess that's, you describe it as north of Peterborough, and it's in the coerthes. Bill writes, I do not agree that social media is a cancer. Granted, this is a platform for individuals and organizations to spew their vile anti-anything rhetoric,

and some posted pictures and videos are quite disturbing. However, the same actions have been with us through history, in written texts through books and news media. Ruthie Muller in Toronto Yes, of course, social media is a cancer And it needs to be treated as one It's out of control So to stop it from spreading We must use our education system

By introducing a course on social media To help students use social media So they are in the driver's seat It's only through our education system That social media can be controlled by the user to get the best out of it. Actually, many, many high schools across Canada have mandatory courses that include

staying safe on social media, whether they're effective or not is another question. Matthew Schell in Whitby, Ontario. The algorithm social media uses are the real cancer. They're built to drive engagement, often amplifying, outrage, hate, division, and misinformation. After the Charlie Kirk Assess My feeds flooded with pro-Kirk videos and conspiracy theories just because I clicked on an article.

Laws placing limits on algorithms and more user control are essential, or social media will keep eroding trust and healthy discourse. This is urgent. I fear for the world my children are inheriting. Michael Hatch in Ottawa. Social media promised us a world of connection. It has done the opposite. It has created a world of isolation, mental illness, dopamine addiction, and radicalization. Unregulated big tech praise on the most vulnerable among us,

and instead of connecting the world, it has exasperated the human tendency towards tribalism and demonization of the other. It's a cancer. We must find a way to excise from our body politic before it's too late. Bruce Codron in Wakefield, Quebec. That's, you know, it's in the Gatno Hills across Ottawa. It's not the social media is a cancer, but that the algorithms of the various platforms

have created that cancer by prioritizing views and sensationalism over the initial community aspect that was there at their inception. Another weakness is the anonymity the trolls used to sow discord and doubt. Tim Stott in Kennesota, Manitoba. Is social media a cancer? Yes, and no.

It allows people to stay in touch with each other in ways that have never been possible before. It's also given people a platform to spread disinformation, propaganda, and misinformation. In the past, these people would have had no voice. social media has given them an audience of millions, so it's a double-edged sword. Cleve Myers, in Fairview, Prince Edward Island. Yes, it is a cancer, meeting the definitions of the medical-related affliction as follows.

One, it erodes societal health over time. Two, it spreads harm in a sneaky way. Three, it's difficult to eradicate. Calling it a cancer pushes the same burden. buttons as the illness. It conveys the severity and stealth of the problem, but also implies a call to action to confront and treat with the hope of restoring to health. Patrick Tallon in L'Originalc, Ontario. Liriginal, Ontario, saying social media as a cancer is misguided. It's like those in the 15th century

who claimed the Gutenberg Press was dangerous. for humanity. The printing press spread ideas, sparked learning, and transformed society for the better, just as social media can when use responsibility. Sharing information and creating knowledge makes society stronger. The real issue is accountability. People must own their words and actions, but social media itself is not the disease. It certainly is a cancer. I grew up in the 60s and 70s, and here we are 50-plus years later, and nothing is better.

Social media, for the most part, is an intellectual sewer. Michael Pash in Victoria Governor Cox, that's the governor of Utah, likened social media to a cancer on society. Personally, I'm more inclined to consider it a venereal disease started off as a fun activity ended up rotting the brain with syphilis

unfortunately it's going to take more than penicillin to cure it David Arnold in Colonna BC the mental health equivalent of cigarettes dopamine cycles siloing misinformation

prioritizing transmittal I get this right yet prioritizing transmissibility of opinion over expert opinion. I quit the platform over a year ago. Wish I'd done it sooner. Time is precious. You won't miss the memes.

Kyle 80 in Peterbrook. Social media is a cancer. Aldous Huxley, he wrote Brave New World, warned us of detaching from reality. Orwell, 1984, warned us about text. surveillance and book banning. But no one's actually read either because it's been banned

or because reading is boring and we like the social media for the detachment from reality it has in it. Pat grew in Kingston, Ontario. Social media is not a cancer. Just like your favorite bar or coffee

shop, like mines, will always come together and share. All social media does is allow more people to listen in on these conversations and give an opinion. The disconnect is the inability of the average person to debate appropriately. And social media is blamed when posts become aggressive, hurtful,

or unfortunately, reality. Wendy Cecil in Toronto, social media isn't a cancer but a kind of mustard gas. It is external, not internal, and might not kill you, but can leave you crippled. It will entertain and connect people, but it is also a triple-edged sword slicing society into ribbons of alienation, unaccountability, and anger. The world it presents is curated, not real. Many people get lost in it and suffer badly, like soldiers breathing in mustard gas long ago.

David Buckin in Vancouver, social media like a knife can be wielded for good or ill, capable of fostering connection or causing harm. Yet many remain unaware of its destructive potential. The challenge for society is whether people will harness it for collective good or merely personal gain. Betsy Sabara in Kingsville, Ontario, that's near the Pointe Pelley National Park, the southernmost point in Canada. Betsy writes, cancer begins when normal cells. mutate, grow and eventually kill the host. That sounds similar to the way social media has taken over access to information. Doctors use various treatments to eliminate rogue cells, but some cancers resist any treatment. Attempts to control the cancer of social media have so far been

unsuccessful. The cure will be the death of our addiction to social media when it becomes so untrustworthy that people abandon it. Less backer in Charlottetown. Or Les Baker, it could be either. Social media has become

a cancer. The very best students from the very top colleges have flocked a high-paying jobs in social media and their number one objective has been to keep as many people on the platforms for as long as they can. The fight has been rigged and we're losing.

Rob B. Arneson in Carbury, Manitoba, that's east of Brandon. Social media is a disease causing great harm. A cure lies in better regulation, better education on its dangers, and perhaps more diligent parenting. The platform creators and administrators aren't held responsible for the danger their targeted algorithms create and should be. Like cancer, the money-making machine that creates a rabbit, whole of addiction and repetitive misinformation continues to metastasize and cause grief without intervention. Terry Sims in Victoria, is alcohol a cancer? Is tobacco a cancer?

Are highly charged political views a cancer? Is gun ownership a cancer? All these things have a good side and a bad side. It's up to you how you choose to interact with them. me same deal with social media used for the right purposes it can be a great tool you just got to avoid the dark side of this stuff john ward in victoria social media is not a cancer it causes cancer if you type nicotine cause cancer in google you get no nicotine does not directly cause cancer but it promotes cancer by facilitating tumor growth and progression. Social media is the nicotine of our time.

Elizabeth Henderson in Calgary. Social media doesn't have to be a cancer. It reflects its users. A lack of critical thinking, empathy, or knowledge, or an access of ideology can transform it to stupidity. and viciousness. A hate-filled media ignited flame thrower.

Loud voices are amplified, voices that may lack credibility, ethics, and or expertise. But social media can also be a positive force, creating community, sharing ideas in humor, amplifying art. Debating ideas respectfully

should be taught in school. Suki Grilh in Suri, B.C. It started off as a great tool to connect with friends and family members, and then big tech firms learned to leverage the technology and monetize it in the attention economy. This is quickly evolved into pitting falsehoods against facts and a competition for our attention. The distortion of the information landscape we find ourselves in is quickly eroding our trust in institutions, political systems, the media, and each other. Alana Kelsey in Burlington, Ontario.

Yes, social media is a cancer. Algorithms are juiced to foment extreme content under the American banner of free speech when they ought to be neutral and guardrailed. As long as money can be made, U.S. legislation will not be altered. Globally, governments have little interest implementing their own laws or on algorithms,

so as a result, American corporations are allowed to literally tear apart societies with no consequences. Neil Fraser in Edmonton Yes, it's absolutely a cancer on our society. I am in my early 30s and personally haven't had any social media for the last nine years and I have to say it's been great. The impact on my mental health in my young 20s was negative and I feel a lot more unburdened from these unhelpful expectations

that were placed on me being on all those apps. When you factor in the fact that ultra-billionaires are profiting off our increased polarization, that their platforms help to stoke with their algorithms, well, I feel like the answer is plain to see. Pat Wharton in Vernon, BC, it is a cancer. People are not accountable for the truth of their statements. It's easy to hate when you never see the person you're hating.

Christine MacDonald in LaSalle, Ontario I gave up Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, also blue sky back in February this year, and find life so much better. Cancer is a good analogy as both caused changes that may be subtle at first but proved devastating if not checked. Luke Jenkins in Victoria, Social media is neither inherently good nor bad.

Undisclosed, unclear, and or manipulative algorithms are harmful. I miss simple feeds that showed posts and date and time order as the default. Patrick Chung in Toronto. I totally agree. Social media is a cancer. But Utah's governor failed to mention that gun violence is a cancer in his own country. We're numb to gun violence in the U.S. On the same day, Charlie Kirk was killed in Colorado, a 16-year-old kid, shot two classmates, and then killed himself.

Scott Jansen and New Westminster, BC. I disagree was calling social media cancer. Cancer is involuntary, while social media is like an addictive drug. People choose it, even as it harms them. It rewires brains, dulls critical thinking, and fuels the Dunning Kruger effect in voters and leaders. Better explain that. The Dunning Kruger effect occurs when a person's lack of knowledge and skill

in a certain area causes them to overestimate their own competence. Scott goes on, the dangerous society embracing dysfunction without realizing it. Christine Franson in Dundas, Ontario Social media is the worst thing that has happened to civil society It's sad to see so many people who feel empowered To be cruel behind an avatar or a false name People seem to be meaner Even those who claim to be Christians post-hateful comments

Social media has metastasized to the point where there is no cure Coming up to our break here in a minute. But first, Lizanne Donnelly in Sutton, Quebec. Social media is a cancer. The algorithms are not in favor of spewing peace, birdsong, or amusing anecdotes. I've noticed that many people don't want to talk about geopolitics because of its divisiveness.

Friends and family who are parents of voting-age young men are in an awkward position. It's often better to change the subject to the Toronto Blue Jays. Alex Roy in Ottawa. Social media isn't a cancer. It's the junk food that feeds it. Reddit might be a granola bar.

X is funnel cake fried in motor oil. Not all platforms are equally harmful, but the worst ones corrode everything around them. Willa Henry in Kingston Social media is a cancer for the most vulnerable The young, the disenfranchised, lonely people And those drawn to conspiracy theories And sites with collective thinking

All of us are so easily drawn in It's designed to be addictive But many of us can draw the line When there's too much fake news or bizarre thinking For those vulnerable, the cancer of social media It can be gripping and destructive. Okay, I'm going to stop for a minute. Take our break here from the random ranter

and then we'll get back to these letters. But, boy, this, you know, there's a lot of good stuff here. You know, I've got to tell you, I've found myself in the same situation as many of the people are right here. I understood and valued the idea of social media when I first started getting into it, which was around, I don't know, 2010, 11 somewhere in there. But I find myself like pulling away now.

I've shut down some feeds. Don't look at them anymore. Deleted them from my phone. The algorithms are a huge. problem as far as I'm concerned. Anyway, let's take our break. It's not like there isn't a lot to think about here. And then we'll hear the ranter who's got,

it's not really related to this subject, but it's very topical, as you'll see in a moment. We'll be right back after this. And welcome back, Peter Mansper's here. It's your Thursday, your turn. The question of the week is, is social media cancer? And gosh, we've had an awful lot of entries into this discussion. And you're hearing most of them today on the program.

But you're also going to hear the random ranter. If you followed last night's developments in the entertainment industry, you probably heard that Jimmy Kimmel was being given the hook by ABC. And I'll tell you. It used to be a day when making fun of politicians was a comedian's. way of working. It was just not making fun. It was making a point.

Anyway, Jimmy Kimball found out the hard way last night. And this has certainly got the random ranter. Very upset. So why don't we hear from him? Here we go. The random ranter for this week. Yesterday, with the cancellation, of the Jimmy Kimmel show, the United States took yet another step in its steady march towards

totalitarianism. Now, when I say that, it feels like I'm overstating it. Yet I don't think I am. Through intimidation, litigation, and extortion, Trump has been warping the powers of the presidency to supersede all the natural checks against his powers. And I fear Colbert and Kimmel are just the beginning, because it's not just the comedians. It's also the news outlets. Both CBS and ABC News have been sued by Trump for billions and have been cowed into settling his frivolous claims. You know, once upon a time, Republicans were all about free markets, free speech, and free trade.

But there's nothing free in Trump's Rhino Party of Magaites. Between all the grift, the fleecing, and the shakedowns, Trump is managing to insert himself into the minutia of American life. I mean, what kind of president dictates that there should be real sugar? in Coca-Cola. Trump doesn't like the job numbers? Well, he fires the guy who reports them. Look, Americans love their Constitution, but as much as they like to laud their Second Amendment right to bear arms, I feel like it's always been the First Amendment, the freedom of religion, speech, and the press that has traditionally defined them. And it's those rights that Trump and

his cronies have directly in their sights. I mean, freedom of religion? Give me a break. The guy has put Trump-branded Bibles in schools. He's travel-banned Muslims. And his party is chocked full of Christian nationalists who wake up every day, sad that they haven't raptured. Freedom of the press? Well, yesterday Trump openly threatened to revoke the broadcast license of ABC because he didn't like a reporter's question. Maga didn't coin the term fake news, but they did popularize it. and alternative facts? Well, that one was them. No president has done more to not only suppress

criticism, but to punish it. I mean, I'm sure every president has been chafed by political satire, but no president has had shows taken off the air because of it. Look, from his very first impeachment, we've always known that Trump has been an unabashed quid pro quo shakedown artist. It doesn't matter if it's a trade deal or a merger or the issuing of a license to a broadcaster, Trump will always exact a toll to get what he wants. From a piece of Navidia to a fancy Qatari 747 to the heads of Colbert and now Kimmel 2. Where will this end? And when will Americans wake up? I'm not saying Trump is some kind of tin pot dictator because of the reality of the situation. He's really more of a gold-plated one. I mean, Trump is somehow

magically doubled his net worth since his inauguration. How does that happen? Then there's the weaponization of the Justice Department, the masked ice agents disappearing people to African nations and El Salvadoran prisons. He's deployed the military to his own cities to suppress protests, and let's not forget the mass internment camps like Alligator Alcatraz. America right now is an ugly place where even its own citizens need to start carrying their papers out of fear for detainment. The worst thing is, no one is standing in Trump's way, not as fanboys in Congress and not as handpicked Supreme Court lackeys. The only hope Americans have to check his power is in the midterm elections. But do you really think things are going to change at the midterms?

Or are you like me and think if Trump doesn't like the numbers, he'll just do what he always does and fire the guy counting them. The random renter for this week, inspired by ABC deciding that Jimmy Kimmel had said just too much. This follows Stephen Colbert and CBS deciding that Colbert had said just too much. Now they can disguise it.

any way they want, leaking that their numbers were down. They were losing money. Funny, they were fine the week before. All right. Let's get back to our letters on the question. Is social media cancer? Your answers. Ron Barham in Gabriola, BC, that's one of the Gulf Islands.

Just a short ferry right. and a beautiful one, too, from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. Ron writes, we frequently use pathological metaphor in describing tech, computer virus, for instance, is my iPhone a parasite. It saps my time, energy, and attention, as would a tapeworm.

Big Tech argues the more appropriate comparison as to a beneficial parasite, like parasite, like gut bacteria. I see less benefit all the time. them. Cancer? Social media riles us up and dumbs us down. People are suffering and dying. It's an apt comparison. Ian Hebblethwaite in Moncton, BC, or sorry, Moncton, B.C. Moncton, New Brunswick. Is it a cancer? Yes, it is. You know how when people are drinking, they say and do things that they

normally wouldn't say or do? Well, social media allows many people to lower their inhibitions in just the same way. I've read posts by people I know saying things horrible to others. I know darn well they wouldn't say in person. Edwin Platt, Three Hills, Alberta. That's between Calgary and Red Deer. Social media is like a cancer. I only do Facebook and Instagram. I have both of my accounts set so that only people I know can see what I post. However, if I do comment on some of the other pages that I follow that are public, there are always extremely nasty trolls that reply with very nefarious comments. I no longer comment on anything that's public. Christine Ramos in Toronto, is it the tool or is it the user? Long before the popularity of

TikTok and Facebook, there was reality TV. The public's appetite for content about the worst of humanity has only been increasing. Social media has made me a better cook and gardener. I've learned new skills like sewing, and I communicate with family in Europe more regularly and for free. Is it the app's fault or the debasing of the public's moral standard? Brent Bush in Nanaimo, BC. Cancer is a strong word that conjures up a lot of emotions. I do think society is worse off because of the prevalence of social media. Too much of this instant information is just reacting to events rather than giving us a variety of perspectives to consider when formulating our opinions.

Rory Richardson in Calgary. No, I don't think social media is inherently toxic. The real issue is the lack of regulations. Profit is Trump substance, media companies cave to special interests. Governments must enforce guardrails and social media companies must rethink policies. Today, debate is king and dialogue is dead. Free exchanges of ideas require boundaries.

Without them, we get views, make right, and often rage dominates. Doug Haw in Priceville, Ontario, that's near the Bruce Peninsula, north of Toronto. Is social media a cancer? After losing two brothers in the past year to cancer, my answer is no. Cancer is horrible. Facebook is okay. X is a different beast and is more like a septic tank with the lid off kind of smells bad. Elon Musk has created a hate-fueling app that just keeps sending more crap.

At least you can always shut it off. Cancer, you cannot. Eric Wees in Ottawa. Social media has facilitated meaningful communication opportunities but has had a socially damaging downside. The issue isn't so much social. media per se, but the algorithmic programming and advertising models on which so much of it is built that corral people and depends of conflicting belief and opinion. Alex Texas from Surrey, BC. In an era where social media is vilified as society's cancer,

a closer examination reveals mainstream media as the true malignancy. It insidiously spreads a monolithic narrative, pure propaganda, through synchronized brainwashing, preying on the information-deprived masses who lack diverse perspectives. Conversely, platforms like X serve as vital chemotherapy, injecting pluralism and counter-narratives that erode the propaganda's grip,

fostering critical discourse and empowering users to dismantle the echo chambers of traditional outlets. I can tell you, Alex, we've got no other letter like yours. But a person has his right to his opinion, and you certainly expressed it. Tristan Coolman in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Social media is not a cancer. It's simply drawing out the worst in us.

It's our family, friends, and neighbors who have succumbed to the ease and accessibility of being a keyboard warrior or couch potato activists. As people, we tend to place the blame on anything but ourselves. Deb Greening in the District of Lakeland, that's in Saskatchewan. Social media is not cancer, but can be the trigger, a benign seed of disagreement, which metastasizes into a lesion of lies and hate becoming harmful and lethal. With regulation, it could be a virtual community of support,

and knowledge-sharing that it has been and is for many of us. Cindy Zampa and Erdry, Alberta, it's worse than cancer. I've survived cancer with treatment, but there's no simple cure for social media. While not, well, you can just turn it off. While not inherently cancer us, it's addictive. Like cancer, the division, misinformation, and anxiety at fuels can grow and metastasize. Unlike cancer, it pulls us in by connecting, entertaining, educating, and inspiring us. The challenge?

Maintain healthy boundaries and use it mindfully. Not so easy, given its addictive nature. Brian Roger in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. Our politicians are so polarized that it becomes an us-against-them mentality, and they say anything to win against their opponent. our news media chooses sides out of necessity. Some do. If they do not, they will not get viewers.

Not the case always. It continues down to the social media level. It is us against them and stoking anger and rage gets clicks. Only an insistence on integrity will get us out of this. Agree with them. Don Whitamore in Toronto, social media is not cancer. You don't sign up for cancer, it comes for you uninvited. Violence is a cancer.

With the exception of joining a gang or enlisting to serve your country in time of war, no one asks for violence. Fascism is a cancer. It sneaks up on you, and when it takes hold, it's hard to get rid of. I can turn off social media. Trump, not so easy. Lee's Morton in Southampton, Ontario, that's on the shores of Lake Huron. Yes, social media is a slowly metastasizing cancer, seeping into our consciousness.

I deleted Twitter X a few years ago, unable to handle the vitriol. Then LinkedIn followed sooth. Now I'm on threads and about to delete that too. Social media has led to the death of nuance. Dylan McGuire in Georgetown, Ontario. It's west of Mississauga. I'm 26. I wish social media was never invented,

but I can't make myself quit. Sometimes I nearly do, but then I remember I can't. I'm a brand-new radio news broadcaster in Toronto. I'm expected to monitor Twitter for police updates in the GTA. Further, I was told in school, that I would need a social media presence to advance in my career. Well, that might have been the case a few years ago. Not sure it does anymore, although, you know,

you heard Jerry Butts the other day on the Moore Butts conversations. He said that it's probably impossible to disconnect from social media and still have a viable political presence. Al Rowe in Toronto. It's absolutely a cancer. These platforms are designed to be highly addictive. The most distressing and divisive posts are shown most often to keep users scrolling by preying on our brains need to continuously scan for danger in our environment.

This has resulted in a mental health crisis. The developers know this, yet they've continued for years with no guardrails. These are the same people spearheading AI. This is an excellent. existential threat. Mark Lebrun and Milton, Ontario. I'd like to make these distinctions. Cancer is a natural harm without a cure that has plagued mankind for millennia.

Social media is a recently invented construct which could be controlled if society felt strongly enough about it. Obviously, relating social media to cancer is meant figuratively, but speaking about its negative effects in this way let society off the hook too easily. Lisa Simpson in Ottawa. Social media is cancer because it spreads disinformation

at lightning speed. It has metastasized in all aspects of society. My son's generation believes that social media companies are the real villains in this story. All I know is I will never

participate in it because it It's toxic. Stephen Sands in Uxbridge, Ontario, northeast of Toronto. The poison social media that are degrading civil society are the bots and fake accounts generated by malign political factions, hostile states, and extremist politicians with totalitarian or authoritarian intentions, and which poison is injected by the likes of unregulated bad faith entities, such as X

Marcy Taylor in Toronto social media has the potential to improve communication and understanding algorithms are the cancer companies willing to destroy the fabric of society to drive more clicks and get more profit by manipulating and curating what we see are the cancer

Andrew McCullough Mikala and Fredericton Most important topic of our time Social media is not a cancer but instead a parasite upon civilization Like the atoms that make up the human body Many individuals make up collective bodies

Social media has emerged As a parasite hijacking Our waves of communication To feed its existence Yvonne Clifford in Cambridge, Ontario. I think social media is a double-edged sword. Aside from LinkedIn for work, a few months ago I bailed when the feeds became more junk than people I actually knew.

Do I miss it? Maybe 5% of the time. Friends text, podcasts like the bridge, keep me current. And when I need a marketplace check, I shamelessly outsourced a family and friends. Friends. Frederick Petrie in Winnipeg. More accurately, it is a cause rather than the disease itself.

Its use and operation require regulation of hate-enhancing algorithms. Just like tobacco and hard drugs are regulated to mitigate their negative impacts. Kevin Chan, he's writing, he occasionally writes from Mississauga, but this week he's in Shenzhen, China. Social media is a great creation, not a cancer. It's the people, politicians, and state operatives with malicious intents that are the cancer cells. The worst type of it is of it being many U.S. sponsored operations that create hatreds between groups of people who used to live in harmony, only to destabilize the region in the sole interest of the United States. These operatives exploit social media platforms with blatant disregard.

for human consequences. Jason Craig in Conquerol Mills, Nova Scotia, that's near Bridgewater. As a late Gen X tech enthusiast, I've been online since receiving my first Commodore computer 40 years ago. Remember those? I've reflected on how news groups, chat servers, forums, and social media

have evolved over time. I've come to the conclusion that it all presents a mirror to use to us of humanity, the good and the bad. Some like what they see, others do not. Ultimately, it's on us. I'm a fan of careful content moderation. Just got a couple more.

Hugh Dawson in Vancouver. Social media is not a cancer, it's a tool, and we should be thinking about it as such. We should be training people on how to safely use this tool, like we train people to use dangerous equipment. We should also be working together as a society to mitigate its most severe mental health risks, the same way we mitigate things

with potentially severe physical health risks. This also extends to AI. Nancy Barbosa in Winnipeg. In the beginning, social media was a fun way to keep up with friends and family. It has since become a cesspool of conspiracies and hate. The downward spiral began with the monetization of user data and content.

social media companies are only concerned about profits, not the effect on our society. Marilyn Sewell in Paris, Ontario. All forms of social media are not destructive. So I'd have to say it's not a cancer. I see it as part of an addiction problem. I appreciate some parts of social media are cancerous, and all should be handled with care and discretion. But to say it's a cancer goes too far.

Our last letter for this week comes from Michelle Stanners in Calgary, Alberta. The Internet is a cancer like alcohol is a toxin. Social networking, like social drinking, is not inherently the problem, but neither is social when it leads to irresponsibility or harm to others or oneself. This is why we have laws and consequences. around drinking, misuse, and abuse. The human species has had millennia to adapt to alcohol, and it still causes irreparable damage.

We don't have that kind of time with the Internet. I don't know. Those of you are still with me at this point, have heard a lot of different thoughts here. It's basically yes or no, but in the yes or no, there's lots of different reasoning. I almost wonder whether you've changed your mind

as a result of the things you've been hearing. I have a choice at this point. As I said, there are lots more letters. I could go to next week, but I don't think we will. I think we'll have a different topic for next week. Partly because, well, you heard these letters. there's not a sameness to them, but it does break down to you're either this or you that, right?

But I tell you, as we say every week, I'm so glad you sat down and wrote your thoughts because I think we all benefit from hearing each other in a reasonable, respectful way, and that's certainly what we got this week on this issue. all right a brief look forward to tomorrow it is of course good talk now one one thing about tomorrow Bruce is caught on flights he can't do tomorrow's program he'll be back next week but filling in and this is a great a great fill in for us

we have my friend Andrew McDougal he's based in London London England He used to be in Canada. He was the communications director for Stephen Harper. And he was pretty well respected by most of the media group, and that's not always an easy thing for communication directors. Anyway, Andrew is now working for a consulting firm in London, a big-time one, strategy group. And he'll be joining us tomorrow along with Chantel, of course.

and we'll discuss, well, I'm sure we're going to end up discussing the Christian Freeland departure, but we'll also discuss things UK. Trump's been here for a couple of days. I'm in Scotland right now, so I've seen lots of news on that. And there were a huge protest last week by the right, extreme right, in London. So we get Andrews's thoughts on that. what's going on here. That's all tomorrow on good talk.

Should be a good one. Looking forward to that. That's going to wrap it up for this day, for your turn, and the Random Ranter. Thanks so much for listening. Always a treat to hear from you, as we certainly did this week. Thanks for listening.

Talk to you again in less than 24 hours. Thank you.