TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Hollywood actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taiwan's former Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang (唐鳳) discussed the impact of social media on democracy at the 2024 Asia Blockchain Summit (ABS, 亞洲區塊鏈高峰會) on Thursday (Aug. 8). The event highlighted concerns about misinformation and control over digital platforms.
Gordon-Levitt expressed growing dissatisfaction with social media, citing the prevalence of unverified information. He questioned the U.S. decision to demand ByteDance (字節跳動) sell TikTok.
Tang responded by emphasizing the dangers of indirect control over social media platforms, stating it allows manipulation of trending topics and public perception.
Tang advocated for returning recommendation algorithms to creators and audiences, promoting open-source digital platforms for transparency. She argued this shift would empower users to explore content freely without platform restrictions. Gordon-Levitt reacted enthusiastically, noting this approach could transform the entire social media ecosystem.
Recently, Tang joined the Project Liberty Institute (PLI) as a senior fellow. The nonprofit, initiated by the former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, plans to bid for TikTok.
