Question

This is a prompt for a high school social studies class.

There are not many laws regulating social media in the US
today In fact, social media companies cannot be held
legally responsible for content posted by their users. Draft
a speech to answer these questions for the class: Do you
think there should be more laws to control social media?
Why or why not?
Read the prompt carefully Then, answer the questions
that follow.
What is the purpose of this prompt?
Who is the intended audience?
Which is a possible thesis for this prompt?

Answer 1

The purpose of this prompt is to ask the student to draft a speech addressing the question of whether or not there should be more laws to control social media in the United States.

The intended audience for this speech is a high school social studies class.

A possible thesis for this prompt could be: "While social media has many benefits, I believe that there should be more laws in place to control its content and protect users from harmful or dangerous information." or "I believe that social media companies should not be held legally responsible for content posted by their users and that more laws to control social media would be a violation of free speech."

Answer 2

The prompt's purpose is to encourage high school students to contemplate the need for more laws controlling social media, factoring in its societal and democratic implications. The intended audience is a high school social studies class. The thesis suggests a balanced approach to social media regulation that would tackle misinformation while preserving free speech rights.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the prompt is to engage students in critical thinking about the role of social media regulation and its impact on society and democracy. The intended audience is members of a high school social studies class, who are expected to reflect on the balance between censorship, free speech, and the potential for misinformation on social media platforms. A possible thesis for this prompt could be:

'Given the significant influence of social media on public opinion and the dissemination of information, there should be a careful implementation of regulations to prevent the spread of misinformation and protect democratic processes, while also safeguarding individual free speech rights.'

This thesis suggests a balanced approach that acknowledges the potential harms of unregulated social media without infringing on constitutional liberties. The argument could address the increasing instances of misinformation, fake news, and the manipulation of public opinion as justifications for more systemic oversight, as well as the need to maintain the foundational principle of free speech.