15 Years Later, ‘Anti-Social Media’ Is More Relevant Than Ever
Fifteen years after the term ‘anti-social media’ was first coined, the challenges of online discourse have not only persisted but intensified, sparking urgent questions about digital civility and responsibility, according to a recent blog post from telecom analyst Mark Goldberg.
The origins of ‘anti-social media’
Goldberg first introduced the concept of ‘anti-social media’ in a 2011 blog post, warning about the ways online anonymity and global reach could erode civil discourse. In his retrospective, he explains how the shift from face-to-face communication to the vast expanse of the internet has led to a paradox: the more public and permanent the forum, the less care users take with their words. He described this effect as ‘the fourth degree’ of impersonal communication.
Goldberg highlighted early examples of hostility in online debates, dating back to the usage-based billing discussions of the early 2010s. Even back then, Twitter, a relatively new platform at the time, was already showing cracks in the promise of intellectual, civil discourse. ‘Adherence to truth and reasoned thinking was clearly not a prerequisite for publishing on Twitter,’ he wrote—a statement that holds true today as understatement.
From trolling to real-world consequences
What started as individual instances of trolling and rudeness has since escalated into a defining feature of the digital age. Goldberg recounted how by 2021, social media platforms had become incubators for anti-Semitic and hateful behavior, often hiding behind avatar anonymity like cat images or Soviet-era icons. These digital interactions, he noted, carried a profound emotional toll.
By 2022, Goldberg identified another troubling evolution: not just individual trolls but systemic problems where public funds were indirectly supporting problematic individuals banned from platforms. This raised urgent questions about government responsibility in regulating online hate speech and implementing online safety laws. The stakes, Goldberg argues, have never been higher.
A need for civility online
While Goldberg doesn’t offer a simple solution, he returns to an enduring moral: decency and responsibility. Referencing his 2018 post, ‘Being a mensch,’ he emphasizes that the values of respect and consideration should apply online just as they do offline.
‘Social media promised connection, democratization, and community,’ Goldberg observes. ‘Too often, it has delivered the opposite.’ While platforms and algorithms come and go, human behavior remains consistent. The antidote to ‘anti-social media,’ in his view, isn’t new technology but old-fashioned principles of respect, humanity, and decency—values to instill in younger generations navigating a digital-first world.
So where does that leave us in the battle against anti-social behavior online? Goldberg leaves us with a striking question: ‘Can we rise above anti-social behavior in social media or develop better filters to shut out the noise?’ Fifteen years after posing that question, it feels as unresolved—and as urgent—as ever.
Read Mark Goldberg’s full blog post here.
