Research Links and Discussion Questions for December 2020 Topics

Nov 16, 2020 | Ideas For Teachers

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Social Media Bias
White House: “Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship”
The Hill OpEd: “Censoring Biden Story, How Social Media Becomes State Media”
Pew Research: “Most Americans Think Social Media Sites Censor Political Views”
CBS News: “Censorship on social media? It’s not what you think”
Cato Institute: “Why the Government Should Not Regulate Social Media”
The Hill: “FCC to Move Forward with Executive Order on Tech’s Liability”

Issue 2: Universal Basic Income
Stanford University: “What is Universal Basic Income?”
USA Today: “California city to give free cash in guaranteed income program”
Andrew Yang: “The Freedom Dividend, Defined”
Pew Research: “More Americans Oppose than Favor Universal Basic Income”
GiveDirectly.org: “Universal Basic Income Study”
Pew Charitable Trusts: “Momentum for Basic Income Builds as Pandemic Drags”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Social Media Bias

  1. Read President Donald Trump’s “Executive on Preventing Online Censorship” (link above). Do you feel his action was a good solution to social media bias? Why or why not?
  2. In your own experience with social media, have you encountered social media bias? If so, what do you think is a good solution to this problem?
  3. How does the Bill of Rights’ First Amendment protect free speech in the U.S.?
  4. Do you believe Section 230’s protections for big tech companies need to be revised? How would you revise them?
  5. Do you believe Twitter’s and Facebook’s response to the New York Post article on Hunter Biden was justified? Why or why not?

Issue 2: Universal Basic Income

  1. Should Universal Basic Income replace existing welfare programs? Why or why not?
  2. If Universal Basic Income became a reality, how much should it be per month?
  3. Some people believe that giving everyone a UBI would simply lead to higher prices (e.g., inflation), defeating the entire point of it. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
  4. Should UBI really go to everyone, or would it be better to target it to those who need it most? Why or why not?
  5. Would implementing a UBI program de-incentivize people to work? Why or why not?