How to Be a Citizen in the Information War (And Stay Sane)

Video Description

On this week’s “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel opens with what it means to live in 2026, when our phones can drop us into graphic, real-time violence without warning—and when documenting that violence can be both traumatizing and politically consequential. Using recent footage out of Minneapolis as a lens, he explores the uneasy collision of algorithmic feeds, misinformation, and the moral weight of witnessing. Charlie also traces how viral documentation can puncture official narratives, pushing stories beyond political circles and into unexpectedly “apolitical” corners of the internet, even as platform-ownership shifts and suspected censorship (or outages that look like censorship) deepen public paranoia about who controls what we see. Then, Charlie is joined by Amanda Litman, a political digital strategist and the co-founder of Run for Something. They discuss how to be a good citizen in the information war without losing your mind. Specifically: In an age of algorithmic fragmentation and billionaire-owned platforms, does sharing that devastating image or news article actually accomplish anything? Or is it just performative activism? Together they explore how nonpolitical creators and everyday people can be especially persuasive messengers, and how to pair online engagement with offline activism. It’s an episode about how to stay engaged without surrendering your nervous system and how to use the internet as a tool for connection, clarity, and action, not just despair. Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” newsletter: https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/sign-up/galaxy-brain/?utm_source=podcast-warzel Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/galaxy-brain/id1378618386 Subscribe to the “Galaxy Brain” podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/542WHgdiDTJhEjn1Py4J7n Follow The Atlantic on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theatlantic/?hl=en Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at https://accounts.theatlantic.com/products/?utm_medium=cr&utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=apple_podcasts Subscribe to The Atlantic on YouTube: http://bit.ly/subAtlanticYT 00:00 - Introduction 00:58 - Minneapolis Broke Through Algorithms 02:49 The Power of Documentation 07:16 The Misery Machine: Navigating Online Trauma 09:24 Conversation with Amanda Lipman 12:18 The Politics of Posting 16:38 Virtue Signaling and Community Building 28:13 The Right Amount of Online for Politicians 30:14 Effective Online Communication 36:29 Building Real-World Community 42:27 Conclusion