Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Social Media Is Good for Democracy," Streaming Live on June 26

During the early days of the Arab Spring, Facebook and Twitter seemed to be a boon for democratic values. After the 2016 election and fake news, we're not so sure any more. As lawmakers grapple with how to prevent the spread of digital propaganda and protect citizens' privacy online, the "fantastic" (New Yorker) debate series Intelligence Squared U.S. will live stream a debate on the motion "Social Media Is Good for Democracy" on Tuesday, June 26.

Jeff Jarvis, director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at CUNY, and Emily Parker, former State Department official and New York Times editor, debate in favor of the motion. Atlantic staff writer Franklin Foer and venture capitalist and early Facebook investor Roger McNamee debate against it.

This is the first of two debates held at this year's Aspen Ideas Festival; the second, on June 28, debates the motion "Globalization Has Undermined the American Working Class."

Taped before a live audience in Aspen, the debate will stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Intelligence Squared U.S." On June 26, viewers can tune in at IQ2US's website: https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/social-media-good-democracy-0

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Social Media Is Good for Democracy" 
WHEN: Tuesday, June 26 / 5:30-7:00 PM MDT
WHERE: Streaming live at http://intelligencesquaredus.org

Debating For the Motion:

* Jeff Jarvis: Director, Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism
Jeff Jarvis is a national leader in the development of online news, blogging, and the investigation of new business models for news. He is director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the City University of New York and serves as an executive committee member for the News Integrity Initiative. Funded in part by Facebook and Mozilla, the initiative supports news literacy and journalistic efforts around the world. Jarvis is also the author of several books, including "Geeks Bearing Gifts" and "What Would Google Do?" He blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine.com and cohosts the podcast This Week in Google.

* Emily Parker: Digital Diplomacy Adviser & Former State Department Official 
Emily Parker is the author of "Now I Know Who My Comrades Are: Voices From the Internet Underground," which tells the stories of internet activists in China, Cuba, and Russia. Parker was chief strategy officer at Parlio, a Silicon Valley start-up that aimed to bring civility to social media. Previously she was a member of the policy planning staff at the U.S. Department of State, where she advised on internet freedom. Parker is a former staff writer and editor at the Wall Street Journal and a former editor at the New York Times. She is currently the co-founder of Longhash, a global blockchain start-up.

Debating Against the Motion:

* Franklin Foer: Staff Writer, The Atlantic 
Franklin Foer is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the former editor of The New Republic. He is the author of "World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech," which explores the influence of Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Google on modern life, and was named one of the best books of the year by the New York Times.

* Roger McNamee: Investor & Venture Capitalist 
Roger McNamee has spent 35 years investing in the technology industry. He is a co-founder of three firms: Integral Capital Partners, Silver Lake Partners, and Elevation Partners. An early investor in Facebook, he served as a mentor to Mark Zuckerberg from 2006 to 2009. He is the author of "The New Normal," a regular commentator on CNBC and MSNBC, and a touring musician. He holds four patents related to broadcasting live video to cell phones.

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)
A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches over 30 million American households through multi-platform distribution, including radio, television, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 150 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.