Social media has emerged as a powerful tool for communication, information dissemination, and civic participation. While it democratizes access to voice and ideas, it simultaneously poses serious ethical challenges, blurring the boundaries between freedom of expression, responsibility, and accountability.

Key Ethical Dilemmas in Social Media

1. Freedom of Expression vs. Hate Speech & Misinformation:

• Dilemma: Balancing individual right to free speech with the collective need to prevent hate speech, fake news, and propaganda.
• Example: Spread of misinformation during elections or pandemics (e.g., COVID-19 vaccine rumours).

2. Privacy vs. Surveillance:

• Dilemma: Users share personal data, but platforms and governments often exploit it for surveillance, targeted advertising, or political profiling.
• Example: Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

3. Transparency vs. Manipulation:

• Dilemma: Platforms claim neutrality but their content moderation policies, AI algorithms, and targeted ads may manipulate user behaviour.
• Example: Algorithm-driven addiction in apps like Instagram and TikTok.

4. Profit Motive vs. Social Responsibility:

• Dilemma: Platforms prioritise engagement and revenue (through clickbait, sensationalism) over mental health and well-being of users.
• Example: Rising cases of anxiety, depression, and body image issues among youth due to social media overuse.

Misinformation and Content Moderation

• Fake News Proliferation: Rapid spread of false information undermines democratic discourse and public health, as seen during COVID-19 infodemic and election misinformation campaigns.

• Echo Chambers: Algorithmic content curation creates confirmation bias, limiting exposure to diverse viewpoints and weakening deliberative democracy advocated by Habermas.

• Cultural Sensitivity: Global platforms struggle with contextual content policies, often imposing Western values on diverse cultural contexts, challenging cultural relativism.

• Deepfakes and Manipulation: AI-generated content threatens truth and authenticity, requiring new ethical frameworks for digital verification and media literacy.

Mental Health and Social Impact

• Addiction and Dependency: Designed engagement mechanisms exploit psychological vulnerabilities, particularly affecting adolescents and requiring duty-based interventions following prima facie obligations.

• Cyberbullying: Online harassment causes severe psychological harm, necessitating protective measures and restorative justice approaches in digital spaces.

• Social Comparison: Curated content creates unrealistic expectations, leading to anxiety and depression, particularly among youth demographics requiring preventive mental health policies.

Addressing these challenges requires multi-stakeholder governance combining regulatory frameworks, ethical AI development, and digital literacy initiatives to ensure technology serves human flourishing while preserving democratic values.