What happens when your newsfeed becomes a battlefield?

In the US and UK, political leaders trade accusations, social media thrives on outrage, and communities are left simmering in distrust. What used to be disagreements over policy now look more like open hostility, with violence creeping closer to the center of public life.

Attacks on lawmakers, threats to schools, and the killing of high-profile figures are no longer shocking outliers but part of a troubling pattern.

This episode of Stories and Strategies asks a difficult but urgent question: how much of this violence is rooted in the way we communicate? Words frame identities, assign blame, and sometimes push people toward radical action.

Sticks and stones may break bones… but in today’s world, it’s the words that are drawing blood.

Watch For
3:05 Social Media and the Fragmentation of Reality
7:07 The Rise of Influencers as Political Catalysts
9:41 The Rush to Conspiracy: A Case Study in Narrative Wars
14:55 Cooling the Fire: Effective Communication Strategies for Prevention
19:55 Teaching Kids to Resist Radicalization in the Age of AI

Guest: Amy Pate

Listen on your favorite podcast app https://podcast.storiesandstrategies.ca/episodes/