Thread by @allthecitizens

⏮️LET'S HIT REWIND!

Exactly a year ago, the #Jan6thInsurrection took place.

We interviewed @moonalice, a member of @FBoversight, which is one of our very own US projects, about the role of tech platforms, specifically #Facebook, in aiding this unfortunate event.

.@Moonalice explains: "people who attacked the Capitol... probably two years earlier could not have imagined themselves... attacking the seat of government... These are people who were manipulated and the tool that was used to manipulate them was the internet. Mostly #Facebook".

Showing how the #Jan6thInsurrection was telling of a rot in US democracy, @Moonalice explains that the people behind the riots were "people who are normally charged with protecting our democracy", like people from the President's administration & "active duty or retired military"

Highlighting the lack of #accountability of people in positions of power & of the tech leaders a whole year after the incident, @Moonalice warns that democracy is in danger, "because there's nothing to stop them doing it again".

@Moonalice: "If the internet platform builds a business based on retention, as #Facebook... and others have done... the algorithms are going to drive those extreme ideas into the mainstream and radicalise people".

And that's what happened on #Jan6th. We need accountability now!

The erosion of democracy is not something isolated to the US. As our work about British politics and state of democracy shows, there is a similar trend here as well. Have a look ⏬

https://twitter.com/allthecitizens/status/1456698041164046342?s=20