Blaming social media and fake news for Trump's election is dangerous because it shifts responsibility for all the various shortcomings of the American electorate - economic illiteracy, racism, xenophobia - onto unnamed foreigners bent on stirring up trouble.

People who display materialistic characteristics in other areas of their lives are likely to view their digital connections on social media as objects, to be collected and curated.

If we are prepared to consider that malevolent foreign forces tried to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election with organic social-media content and paid advertising campaigns, isn't it plausible they may use the same techniques to instill dubious values in American children?

The controversial subject of alleged foreign attempts to influence American society via social media may get its own long-term investigative commission in Congress, provided the proposal can garner enough bipartisan support.

Russian meddling in American public life via social media apparently went beyond merely stirring up partisan feelings online. It extended to agents provocateurs setting up "real life" events, including political rallies and counter rallies.