Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Advertising associate professor, was interviewed in “Making Fake Friends with Dr. Benjamin Johnson,” an episode of the Tech Tmrw podcast posted on Sept. 16.

The conversation takes Johnson’s research as a starting point for thinking about possible futures of social media platforms. Users are constantly comparing themselves to—and bonding with—others in their networks, whether “real” friends, online-only friends, influencers, celebrities, brands, or artificial humans.

Johnson and host Theo Miller consider the consequences for human connection, platform regulation and governance, advertising effectiveness, and cultural trends. Key takeaways include the nature of authenticity, how users can improve the quality of their experiences, and the need for social consensus around content restrictions.

Posted: September 19, 2022
Category: College News
Tagged as: Benjamin Johnson