Former Meta boss, Nick Clegg, sounds alarm over ‘TikTokification’ of social media
Ex-Meta boss warns social media has become a ‘poisoned chalice’
- Sir Nick Clegg, former Meta executive, has labelled social media a "poisoned chalice" and the rise of AI online a "negative development".
- He criticised the "TikTokification" of platforms like Instagram, where users are "bombarded" by algorithmically recommended short-form videos, which he believes harms mental health, particularly for younger people.
- Clegg stated that social media apps are becoming "increasingly automated" and less "social", with content increasingly synthetic, moving away from human-generated interactions.
- He urged regulators to demand greater transparency from big tech companies regarding their algorithmic systems, marking a shift from his previous stance on regulatory complexity.
- These comments were made during an evidence session of the cross-party Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion, amid wider concerns about deepfakes and the centralisation of power in tech.