Al Gore Brands Addictive Social Media Algorithms ‘Digital Equivalent of AR-15s’

Al Gore, environmentalist and former vice president of the United States, presents the Climate TRACE global greenhouse gases emissions database on day four of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 3, 2023. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore criticized addictive social media algorithms during his appearance at the U.N. Climate Change Conference—also known as COP28—this week, branding them the “digital equivalent of AR-15s.”

The 45th vice president made the comments while speaking at the Bloomberg Green summit at COP28 on Dec. 5, where he called for such algorithms to be banned.