The Communication Leadership Master's Program at the University of Washington invites communication and marketing professionals, students, and global practitioners to a free interactive learning session. Social media started with a utopian promise to connect everyone around the globe in a network of sharing, fun and commerce. But recently that promise has soured, with political polarization, advertising saturation and mental health concerns driving people to fresher platforms, or even to abandon social media altogether. So where does that leave brands, businesses and organizations, who have come to rely on social media as the primary place where we access our audience and cultivate community? How are younger people like Gen Z using social media? Will AI generated content make it possible for creators to keep up with the constant demand for content? Is authentic community and belonging still possible online in an era of trolls and polarization? Faculty from University of Washington’s Communication Leadership Master’s program and a special guest Prof. Chris Bail Founding, Director of Duke University’s Polarization Lab will address these questions in an innovative livestream format that will allow you to interact, come up with creative solutions, reflect, and earn a micro credential, in the form of a digital badge.