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Event Description

Social media has become one of the primary ways that families, communities and societies stay connected. As its use becomes increasingly embedded in everyday life, opting out can feel difficult for those who want to remain connected to others. At the same time, critics argue that people may be better off using social media less, or perhaps not at all. Why, then, do people continue to use products they may believe are ultimately harmful to their well-being?  
The Program on Democracy and the Informed Public invites you to a seminar with Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University and founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. The discussion will explore why people continue to use social media despite concerns about its effects and what that may tell us about choice, behavior and well-being. 
The discussion will be introduced by Archon Fung, Director, Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation<strike>,</strike> and Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government. 
Light refreshments will be provided.  About the Speaker Cass R. Sunstein is currently the Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard. He is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School. In 2018, he received the Holberg Prize from the government of Norway, sometimes described as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for law and the humanities. In 2020, the World Health Organization appointed him as Chair of its technical advisory group on Behavioural Insights and Sciences for Health. From 2009 to 2012, he was Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and after that, he served on the President’s Review Board on Intelligence and Communications Technologies and on the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Board. Mr. Sunstein has testified before congressional committees on many subjects, and he has advised officials at the United Nations, the European Commission, the World Bank, and many nations on issues of law and public policy. He has served as an adviser to the Behavioural Insights Team in the United Kingdom. He served as Senior Counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security during the Biden Administration, where he focused on resilience against weather-related risks (such as flooding and extreme heat) and on reduction of administration burdens; he was awarded the Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Department’s highest civilian honor, in 2024.  About the Program The <a href="https://ash.harvard.edu/programs/democracy-and-the-informed-public/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Program on Democracy and the Informed Public</a> advances research and policy solutions that ensure individuals can access reliable, actionable information—empowering them to protect themselves from risks, vindicate their rights and fulfill their responsibilities as citizens, workers and consumers.  Event Details This event is open to Harvard ID holders only and registration is appreciated. 
The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to inquire about accommodation, please contact our events team at info@ash.harvard.edu. 
Additional questions? Email the Ash Center events team at info@ash.harvard.edu.

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