WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Former US President Barack Obama has warned against the irresponsible use of social media, which, according to him, could lead to the 'Balkanization of society.'
Although he did not name President Donald Trump in a rare interview since stepping down in January, it was an apparent dig at his successor, who is a prolific tweeter. Obama was interviewed by Prince Harry for BBC Radio.
As its guest editor, Prince Harry had met Obama in Toronto in September during the Invictus Games to talk about his memories of the day he left office, his post-presidential work with the Obama Foundation and his hopes for the future.
Obama said that the irresponsible use of social media was spreading misinformation and distorting people's understanding of complex issues.
'All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the internet,' he told the member of the British royal family.
Obama expressed concern about a future where facts are discarded and people only read and listen to things that reinforce their own views.
Technology should be used 'in a way that allows a multiplicity of voices, allows a diversity of views, but doesn't lead to a Balkanization of society and allows ways of finding common ground,' according to the Democrat.
'On the internet, everything is simple, but when you meet face to face, it turns out it is complicated,' Obama said.
Trump continues to make a number of negative remarks over Twitter about what he considers to be unfair media coverage against him, and calls them 'Fake News.'
Trump was the most-tweeted-about world leader of 2017, while Barack Obama eclipsed his predecessor by posting the most-liked message on Twitter this year.
As per figures released by the microblogging site, Trump has 44.1 million followers.
Trump's predilection for Twitter is well-known, as he begins a day's news cycle by sending a series of tweets by dawn, but he is accused of following only a narrow range of users.
Twitter's annual list of 10 most popular tweets features three tweets from Obama, and none from Trump.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX