Applying contemporary art theory to the ills of the internet, this book insightfully critiques the age of social media.

The internet has become an integral part of all human activities. Its toxic aspects have fully permeated our personal, social and political lives, with people using it to attack others, normalize violence, spread fake news and make propaganda for extreme-right causes, to name just a few. This brutal turn ultimately affects all: social media no longer just distracts—it injures. This technological violence is essentially remote, invisible and indirect. Encoded within the platforms we use every day exist exclusion, isolation and echo chambers on sites that promise enhanced connection. Platform Brutality does not just offer critical analyses but also dives into alternatives. Topics range from the violent turn of the internet and techno-feudalism debates, to loneliness on social media, radical data critique or even how to dream in the computer age. This hyper-contemporary reader offers offline romanticism to question how to leave the platforms, bring back social networks and strike a new balance between analog and digital.

Published with Making Public Series.

Geert Lovink is Professor of Art and Network Cultures at the University of Amsterdam.