Former President Barack Obama addressed a crowd of over 12,000 in Glasgow, using the platform to lament the current state of political discourse and suggest that the government has failed to adequately police the information landscape.
Reflecting on his time in office, Obama claimed that the rise of populism and societal division is largely a product of the content consumed on social media, which he argued exploits the 'reptilian' aspects of the human brain by stoking fear and resentment.
While acknowledging that the internet once served as a beacon for hope, he lamented that these same tools are now used to spread misinformation. Obama pointedly noted that after World War II, governments established rules to combat propaganda, but argued that modern society has failed to maintain that standard.
He suggested that finding a 'critical balance' between free speech and government regulation is necessary, implying that current institutions are insufficient to handle the challenges posed by digital media and emerging technologies like AI.
Throughout his remarks, Obama maintained that while the world faces significant challenges, a drift toward extremism is not inevitable, provided that society finds new ways to manage public debate and enforce a shared understanding of facts.
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