In the heady days of the early 2010s, social media was the ultimate democratic tool, supporting the Arab spring and coordinating protests like Occupy Wall Street. This early optimism faded by the middle of the decade, as social media platforms were increasingly exposed as hotbeds for far-right organising.
The role of platforms like Twitter and Facebook in toppling governments might have been overblown, but as the climate crisis gathers pace, social media may find its calling among online activists eager to protect the planet.
