Generous Argument Format: The Internet promotes passivity & authoritarianism

The Generous Argument format will be used to facilitate this event.

Two people argue for and against a proposal. The proposal will depend on who is willing to argue and what they are interested in arguing. This event’s default proposal is: “"Today’s Internet discourages people from looking for information. Most users prefer to let platforms decide what they will see or do. This passivity combined with an overconfidence that comes from users constantly having their biases confirmed puts a high ceiling on the stability of authoritarian states. Collecting users’ information, directing user attention, and manipulating user behavior forms an economic circuit that enables platforms to extract value from users."

Note that the proposal may end up being about something unrelated. There will be time to critique arguments, share one’s own thoughts about the proposal, and fact check.

There will be popcorn and cookies for purchase for those who want something to snack on or who would like to support the project.