Does social media always work for the good?

[Commentary] "Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission -- to make the world more open and connected," Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg wrote. "Simply put: We don't build services to make money. We make money to build better services." But Herhold thinks Zuckerberg is wrong.

A good result is not a given from social media. Facebook promotes special interest group politics, not thoughtful democracy. It does not encourage folks to have their opinions challenged. Put another way, Facebook prompts you to look to your friends for cues. And if the Arab rebels or consumer activists can summon troops with social media, so can the forces of evil arrayed against them.