--- description: Social media platforms can prompt people to “make snap judgements about complex decisions,” he said — without mentioning Trump by name title: Obama Warns of Making 'Snap Judgments' on Social Media image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt99ec4288436d4592/6988f34a22fb855897e23de3/gettyimages-868760986.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [White House](/tag/white-house/) ## White House Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Obama Warns Social Media Use Can Provoke 'Snap Judgments'  by [Norman Pearlstine / New Delhi](/author/norman-pearlstine/)  ## Norman Pearlstine / New Delhi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 1, 2017 11:57 AM CUT  Former president Barack Obama speaks at the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit on Oct. 31, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois Former president Barack Obama speaks at the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit on Oct. 31, 2017 in Chicago, IllinoisScott Olson—Getty Images  by [Norman Pearlstine / New Delhi](/author/norman-pearlstine/)  ## Norman Pearlstine / New Delhi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 1, 2017 11:57 AM CUT Former President Barack Obama has warned that social media platforms can prompt people to “make snap judgements about complex decisions,” as his successor’s hair-trigger use of Twitter has come under fresh criticism. Speaking in New Delhi, India at a conference sponsored by the _Hindustan Times_ media group, Obama said “one of the dangers is that instead of deep analysis and evaluation,” users of Twitter and other platforms often are just “skimming the surface.” Obama’s remarks came as President Donald Trump faces bitter recriminations from lawmakers in the U.K., including Prime Minister Theresa May, for [retweeting anti-Islam videos by a British far-right group.](http://time.com/5040627/britain-first-trump-tweet/ "undefined") The President’s use of Twitter to [goad opponents and lambast critics](http://time.com/4945238/donald-trump-twitter-controversial-retweets/ "undefined") has led both [Democrats](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/latest-trump-deal-spending-51432130 "undefined") and [Republicans](http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/29/politics/lawmakers-react-trump-tweet-joe-scarborough-mika-brzezinski-morning-joe/index.html "undefined") to question his judgment. In a pointed moment during the speech, Obama said he has more followers on Twitter “than some people who use it more often.” According to Twitter, @realDonaldTrump has 43.7 million followers, well less than half the 97.4 million followers on @BarackObama. Obama has largely refrained from criticizing Trump while in office, though he would [often take aim at his use of Twitter on the campaign trail](https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000004512297/obama-mocks-donald-trumps-twitter-use.html "undefined"). He took a [subtle dig at the President’s social media habits](https://nypost.com/2017/04/27/obama-scores-another-400k-speaking-fee-amid-criticism/ "undefined") in an April interview, when historian Doris Kearns Goodwin asked how he handled frustration while in office. “For starters, by not having a Twitter account,” he replied. The former President said in the New Delhi speech he is concerned about how technology is changing the ways in which people consume information, warning that it is too easy “to retreat into our own bubbles.” He said that “those who watch Fox News and those who read The New York _Times_ occupy different spaces,” adding that if he got all his information from Fox, “I wouldn’t vote for me.” Obama praised those Americans and Indians who continue to show concern for the environment while fighting against climate change. And, again, without mentioning President Trump he called his successor’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement a “pause in American leadership.” He also noted other commonalities between India and the U.S., saying both countries were defined by their diversity. Following Obama’s speech, he had lunch with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he praised for working to reform India’s bureaucracy. He also expressed fondness for former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, noting his efforts to modernize India’s economy. Obama came to India following a meeting earlier this week with President Xi Jinping in China. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/"},"headline":"Obama Warns Social Media Use Can Provoke 'Snap Judgments'","datePublished":"2017-12-01T11:57:44.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T18:24:55.146Z","description":"He did not mention President Donald Trump by name","url":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/","keywords":["White House","Barack Obama","Donald Trump"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt99ec4288436d4592/6988f34a22fb855897e23de3/gettyimages-868760986.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Norman Pearlstine / New Delhi"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt99ec4288436d4592/6988f34a22fb855897e23de3/gettyimages-868760986.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Former President Obama And First Lady Michelle Host Inaugural Obama Foundation Summit In Chicago","caption":"Former President Obama And First Lady Michelle Host Inaugural Obama Foundation Summit In Chicago","creditText":"Scott Olson—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/white-house/","name":"White House"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/","name":"Obama Warns Social Media Use Can Provoke 'Snap Judgments'"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"President Trump Retweeted Anti-Muslim Videos Posted by Far-Right Group 'Britain First'","description":"President Donald Trump caused waves across the pond Wednesday morning by retweeting three anti-Muslim videos posted on the social media platform by Jayda Fransen, the deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/1CF0fmlA/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2017-11-29T18:55:34.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1CF0fmlA.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/","duration":"PT2M6S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5044525/obama-social-media-snap-judgments-trump-twitter/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```