The Blueprint for AI? Social Media & AI

[Note: these questions were written in the summer of 2026. It seems that every aspect of AI’s development, usage, and impact is evolving at a rapid pace. Take that into account and use relevant, recent information in formulating your answers and arguments.]

1. Are you as concerned about the dangers posed by social media as are most of the speakers in this video? Why or why not?
2. What specific dangers stemming from social media use (or overuse) concern you the most? Explain.
3. Have you been adversely impacted by your own social media use? If so, can you provide examples?
4. Would you support more government regulation of social media? If so, what would that look like? More regulations? More liability for companies whose products cause harm? Give specifics.
5. Rather than imposing regulation and liability to mitigate the harms of social media use, should we place the responsibility upon the individual consumer to avoid overuse? Explain the reasons for your position.
6. Do you agree that new AI products can multiply by many times the harms stemming from social media use? Support your reasoning.
7. Have you seen examples of AI developments exacerbating social media harms? Perhaps by multiplying the spread of false or misleading information? What else?
8. As one speaker notes, studies indicate that AI algorithms can change our beliefs and our actions without our realizing it. How do you feel about this research? Do you think that you have been so affected?
9. Do you think it’s an accurate assessment to say that AI companies are using social media as their blueprint for how to design and deploy AI? How might the perceived success of social media’s engagement strategy influence AI companies in their development and deployment of AI? Are there other lessons to be learned from applying this perspective? If so, what are they and for whom? Be specific.
10. In spring 2026, Stanford University AI experts Russell Wald and Sha Sajadieh wrote: “AI is a powerful, uneven, fast-improving technology that can create real value, generate real harm and demand real governance — all at the same time. Every important technology arrives with trade-offs. The printing press spread knowledge and propaganda. Social media connected communities and corroded civic trust. AI will be no different.” Do you agree with this statement? Whether or not you do, what implications does your opinion have for government policy toward AI? Explain.
11. Many observers are most concerned about the interaction of AI and social media whereby bad actors construct bot accounts on social media platforms to send vast numbers of messages to engage with potential voters and to promote a particular candidate’s positions. This is already happening. Does this new development in elections concern you? Why or why not? What are the implications of this for democracy?

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AI Ethics Companion Handbook

This e-book compiles all the resources on AI ethics available on the Ethics Unwrapped website. It will continue to be updated as new materials are published.

A recent resource from Ethics Unwrapped is a book, Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions, written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice. This accessible book is amply footnoted with behavioral ethics studies and associated research. It also includes suggestions at the end of each chapter for related Ethics Unwrapped videos and case studies. Some instructors use this resource to educate themselves, while others use it in lieu of (or in addition to) a textbook.

The most recent article written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice describes the basics of behavioral ethics and introduces Ethics Unwrapped videos and supporting materials along with teaching examples. It also includes data on the efficacy of Ethics Unwrapped for improving ethics pedagogy across disciplines. Published in Journal of Business Law and Ethics Pedagogy (Vol. 1, August 2018), it can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics (Using “Ethics Unwrapped” Videos and Educational Materials).”

Cara Biasucci also wrote a chapter on integrating Ethics Unwrapped in higher education, which can be found in the latest edition of Teaching Ethics: Instructional Models, Methods and Modalities for University Studies. The chapter includes examples of how Ethics Unwrapped is used at various universities.

An article written by Ethics Unwrapped authors Minette Drumwright, Robert Prentice, and Cara Biasucci introduce key concepts in behavioral ethics and approaches to effective ethics instruction—including sample classroom assignments. Published in the Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, it can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics and Teaching Ethical Decision Making.”

A detailed article written by Robert Prentice, with extensive resources for teaching behavioral ethics, was published in Journal of Legal Studies Education and can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics.”

Another article by Robert Prentice, discussing how behavioral ethics can improve the ethicality of human decision-making, was published in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. It can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics: Can It Help Lawyers (And Others) Be their Best Selves?”

A dated (but still serviceable) introductory article about teaching behavioral ethics can be accessed through Google Scholar by searching: Prentice, Robert A. 2004. “Teaching Ethics, Heuristics, and Biases.” Journal of Business Ethics Education 1 (1): 57-74.