Is social media making us meaner?

Online comment sections are rarely friendly places, especially if they have anything to do with politics. What starts as a debate quickly devolves into name calling and personal attacks. So, what is it about the Internet that seems to bring out our rudeness, and is it possible for online spaces to foster collaboration or civic engagement instead of bickering? Those are some of the topics being discussed at an upcoming forum hosted by MSU’s Center for Community and Economic Development.Current State speaks with the organization’s director Rex LaMore, and Cliff Lampe, associate professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. They’ll both be speaking at this year’s Contemporary Issues Institute event titled “Cultivating a Civil Society in an Era of Incivility” tomorrow at the State Capitol Building in downtown Lansing.