PUB PLC 274Social Media and Public Policy
Public Policy · 4 units · Graduate courses (200-299)
Influence of social media on public discourse and public policy, in U.S. and overseas, has been far-reaching and dramatic. Exploration of positive and negative impacts of social media on individuals and society. Topics include tension between free expression and censorship; and public policy implications and responses (or lack thereof) to use of social media as platform for disseminating fake news, conspiracy theories, white nationalism, racism, and violence. Consideration of whether government should impose content rules on social media companies (as Federal Communications Commission does for broadcast media), or whether corporate terms and conditions of service as self-regulatory model should be relied on. Exploration of how to measure relative impact of social media versus money/campaign contributions on current U.S. political system.
Letter grading.
When it runs
Not on the schedule for any of Fall 2025 through Spring 2027. UCLA publishes only that window, so this does not mean the course is gone — check the official listing.
Requisites
UCLA lists no requisites for this course.
Requires
Everything that has to come before this course, not just the courses named in the requisite above.
Nothing — this is an entry point.
Unlocks
What this course is a requisite for, and what those courses lead to in turn.
No course in the catalog lists this as a requisite.