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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Here's how we'll close today. In our Brian Lehrer Show newsletter last week, our reader question asked, "If you are choosing your social media platforms based on politics these days and whether you think doing so is a good thing." I'll read some of the responses we got now and invite anyone to call in on the same question at 212-433-WNYC. It's a call-in on the question, "Are you choosing which social media platforms to look at or participate in based on your politics more than before and is that a good thing?" 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, call or text.

Now, there was, as many of you know already, a movement to leave X the last few years, formerly Twitter, because of what critics see as Elon Musk standing for. Did you switch to something else relatively early on by that measure? Bluesky, Discord, whatever it might be, or maybe more recently? Maybe your relationship with social media sites has changed since the election and maybe even since just last Monday. The array of tech billionaires sitting front and center at the inauguration. Maybe Facebook or Instagram or places where you did feel comfortable but not anymore after the latest Trump and Zuckerberg news. You tell us. 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692.

The other part of the question is, "Is this dividing up into social media camps by politics a good thing?" An argument against would be that it's better to engage across a spectrum of views than risk bubbling yourself in an echo chamber, but is that more important than what may be your sense of right and wrong in the business world? You tell us, 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692, if you use social media and have these questions in your mind in the current environment. As your calls are coming in, here are some of the comments we got from the newsletter response.

One listener writes, "I have already written to many friends calling for a boycott of Meta for Zuckerberg's refusal of DEI and Truth," but that same person writes on, is it a good or bad thing? "I'd like to know how both sides argue claims evidence, omitted evidence, interpretation of evidence so niche listening limits understanding and dialogue." Someone else wrote to whether they choose their social media platforms on the basis of their owner's politics.

"Somewhat," writes one person, "because I'm one of the first-year Facebook users from 2004. Most of my extended family and friends are there. I keep my Meta accounts. I use Instagram and occasionally Threads too, but very little. I got rid of my Twitter account as soon as it became X because of the nut cases there." That person writes that. Again, on, is it a good thing if people do this? "Neither. It's a preference only. I'd be sad to lose my Facebook and Insta friend connections, though, for any reason. These are classmates, friends, and extended family." Let's see if I have one more in here, yes.

"I actually don't use social media. I won't be part of a transaction in which my user data is sold repeatedly to all bidders and for which platform owners become billionaires while my cut is zero." That person writes, "People should choose their social media platforms on the company's commitment to protecting users and curtailing the spread of hateful, biased, and misinformation." With those excerpts from last week's newsletter question, it's a call-in now on the same question, "Are you choosing which social media platforms to look at or participate in based on your politics more than before and is that a good thing?" 212-433-WNYC. Call or text. 212-433-9692 and we'll take your calls right after this.

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now, to your calls and texts on the questions, "Are you choosing what social media platforms to look at or participate in based on your politics more than before and is that a good thing?" 212-433-WNYC, 433-9692. Allie in South Orange, you're on WNYC. Hi, Allie, thank you for calling in.

Allie: Hi there. Great to be on your show. Yes, I'm having this dilemma myself, discussing it with family and friends that I'd love to get off of Facebook. I don't post much about my own life anymore or anything like that, but there's so much community information, school information. It's hard to totally disconnect from that. Then I feel like I'm cutting myself off from my community.

Brian Lehrer: Do you have conversations within your community on Facebook about this very question?

Allie: Oh absolutely, lots of people are posting about, "What do we do next? Where do we go? How do we figure this out?"

Brian Lehrer: Allie, thank you very much. Listener texts, "I left Facebook and Twitter 10 years ago, but WhatsApp is hard to leave because everyone in the Global South uses it to communicate. I don't rely on any social media to keep in touch with anyone who really matters to me." Marjorie in Denville, you're on WNYC. Hi, Marjorie.

Marjorie: Hi, how are you? I got rid of my Twitter account as soon as it became X, in large part not only because of the owner but because of how he had treated Twitter employees. I, unfortunately, do still have a Facebook account only because I have children who are in two different universities. That is the only way to communicate with other parents at those universities. As soon as they both graduate, I will be closing down that account as well.

Brian Lehrer: What do you think you may be missing, if anything, now that you're not on Twitter/X anymore?

Marjorie: I think I'm probably missing a greater view of opinions. As I think another caller had said, it just started to get very crazy. That was, what, five years ago? I can't imagine today what I'd be reading. I think it would be a waste of my time.

Brian Lehrer: Marjorie, thank you for-- Oh, go ahead. Sorry. What was that last one?

Marjorie: I was going to say, I'd rather go to independent news sources for a counterbalance of opinions.

Brian Lehrer: Thank you very much. Listener writes, "I'm repulsed by Zuckerberg's recent actions, but I'm an artist, and Instagram is an incredibly valuable tool for that. Very torn." Eileen in Westchester, you're on WNYC. Hi, Eileen.

Eileen: Yes, hi. I, too, am repulsed by Zuckerberg's stand on all of these Facebook and Meta. For me, I use Instagram mainly as another source of news. There's so much that's shown on Instagram that's not in the mainstream media. I use it as a balance to find out and question why there are, for instance, no international journalists in Gaza. That's it.

Brian Lehrer: Eileen, thank you very much. Listener writes, "Brian, could you make a distinction between making a choice on what platforms one might not be on? Not based on politics but in the belief on the fundamentals of media platform ethics. A platform could be more Republican, but follow the principles of a fair and responsible media ecosystem. There are people who make decisions based on that and it is not necessarily political," writes another listener. Carrie in Greenwich Village, you're on WNYC. Hi, Carrie.

Carrie: Hi. Thanks. I only used Instagram, which I really felt I was addicted to. Last week, when I was suddenly following Trump and JD Vance against my will, I objected to that and was immediately told I had to reapply to Instagram. I had 180 days for having violated community standards [chuckles] and I thought that was the last straw. I objected to Zuckerberg's having become a fellow traveler. I'll miss it. I'll miss the art accounts and the political accounts and the back and forth, but one has to have some sort of standards, I think. [chuckles]

Brian Lehrer: Carrie, thank you very much. Another listener texts, "The only reason I've kept a Facebook account the last few years is for Buy Nothing groups and other useful community resources. In light of current events, I encourage others to join me on the Buy Nothing app. It's much less active than on Facebook," their own app, "but maybe we can shift things," writes that listener. Think we can do one more here. Bonnie in Manhattan, you're on WNYC. Hi, Bonnie.

Bonnie: Yes, hi, good morning. Big fan. The moment Zuckerberg went over to the dark side, my son texted me. He, his wife, his children got off Facebook, Instagram. I did exactly the same. There you go. You are in or you are out. Thank you very much.

Brian Lehrer: Do you feel like you're losing anything by being out?

Bonnie: I do. I do. I live in New York. I'm from Chicago. There are actually 113 of us. It's a wonderful way for me to keep in touch with sisters, nieces, nephews, great-greats, on and on and on, but it's not enough. You're in or you're out. You support him or you don't. I cannot support anyone who-- pardon me. I cannot support anyone who supports him. It's simple for me. It's very, very simple.

Brian Lehrer: Bonnie, thank you very much. You hear the emotion in Bonnie's voice and probably reflects how strongly a lot of people feel no matter what side of this you come down on and even, as in Bonnie's case, if you think you're losing some meaningful connections as a result. Well, that's The Brian Lehrer Show for today. Thank you for all your calls and texts on that as well as throughout.

The show is produced by Mary Croak, Lisa Allison, Amina Srna, Carl Boisrond, and Esperanza Rosenbaum. Zach Gottehrer-Cohen produces our Daily Politics Podcast. Megan Ryan is the head of Live Radio. We have Juliana Fonda and Milton Ruiz at the audio controls. Tomorrow, we're going to have live coverage with commentary interspersed on the show of the RFK Jr. confirmation hearings. Talk to you then and stay tuned for Alison.

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