Social Media and Ethical Crisis: The Relevance of Philosophy

In the contemporary digital era, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have become deeply embedded in everyday life. While these platforms facilitate communication, self-expression, and rapid dissemination of information, they have also introduced significant ethical challenges, most notably the pervasive spread of misinformation, severe privacy violations, and the normalization of hate speech. This paper investigates these pressing ethical crises and explores the crucial relevance of philosophy in addressing them. Drawing upon key philosophical disciplines—including ethics, epistemology, and social philosophy—it underscores the imperative for moral reasoning to promote truth, respect individual privacy, and foster responsible digital citizenship. Based on an analysis of survey findings from 300 social media users in Bangladesh, this study highlights the role of philosophical inquiry in shaping user awareness, guiding content moderation, and informing the development of ethical policies by technology companies. Ultimately, this research advocates for a robust philosophy-informed framework to enhance ethical engagement and accountability in the digital sphere.