What In God's Name Is Happening with Facebook? Russian Disinformation, the Internet, and Us

What in God’s name is happening with Facebook?

The Senate Intelligence Committee releases a report on the Russian government’s disinformation campaign, and its efforts to influence the 2016 election. We’ve got non-partisan reflections on Facebook, the internet, and the vulnerabilities of an open society.

Be curious. Go deep. Shed light. These are our core values.

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Here are timecodes to help you navigate through today’s show:

00:29    Chris riffs on what it means to build bridges. It doesn’t mean shying away from disagreement.

01:32    Chris reads an email from friend of the podcast Kyle, from Seoul, South Korea, responding to our recent shows on Christmas. Listen for the surprise music that accompanies Kyle’s email.

03:49    Facebook is in the news. What is the similarity between the Russian government’s disinformation campaign on social media platforms like Facebook, and the 9/11 hijackers? What are the different forms that destruction can take?

08:53    Shayna raises questions about openness and vulnerability, both personally and societally. How does our vulnerability affect how we carry ourselves in the world?

12:44    Chris returns to Russia. The Putin regime will not be persuaded by refined theological reflections on vulnerability. What then?

14:31    Shayna points out that one response to efforts to sow discord, is to build the habits of mind of a free and resilient people. What is the difference between disagreement and discord?

We’ll be off the 27th of December; our next show will be January 3rd, 2019.