Social Networks and Political–Ethical Challenges in the Wake of Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

This paper addresses the political, ethical, and legal dimensions of the use of social media networks in light of rapid and impactful developments in artificial intelligence technologies. It is based on the main hypothesis that social media networks present themselves to us as hyperobjects – entities characterized by vast spatial and temporal dimensions that transcend our local spatiotemporal frameworks. Hyperobjects defy our conventional ideas about the essence of things and confront us with problems that not only challenge our control, but also question our scientific and philosophical habits of thought, putting our political and ethical systems to the test.