The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

Social and political tensions have left many Americans feeling insecure and unsure about expressing their opinions. YouTube seriesMiddle Groundis confronting this pervasive discomfort by bringing people with opposing views together for open conversations around divisive issues.

Why are people posting their low-lights on social media? Is it time for meme literacy lessons? And can Big Tech help prevent misinformation? In this part of the Expert Outlook 2022, we speak to three experts about how the search for control and connection is shaping the communications sector.

In the US, the pandemic exacerbated social and political rifts – with polarized visions of the world becoming even more acute. With the aim of combating such divisions, The Human Library provides people with the chance to discuss contentious issues with others outside of their social network.

Being publicly shamed for bad behavior – also known as being ‘called out’ – is a concern for well-known figures and anonymous high school students alike. But as call-out culture is implicated in an increasingly polarized society, people are seeking a more tactical approach to conflicting viewpoints.