Divisiveness today is a pervasive plague on discourse and governance. Social media proliferate clickbait, fake news, and filter bubbles. Algorithms polarize information intake. So what are possible prescriptions to correct this vicious cycle? How can our digital footprint translate into prosocial instead of antisocial behavior? How can the press restore faith in the democratic and civic process?

Alexander Heffner is the host of The Open Mind on PBS and coauthor of A Documentary History of the United States (Penguin, 2018). He has covered American politics, civic life and Millennials for leading newspapers and magazines.