Can new symbols improve dialogues on the web?

Social media is a part of daily life for almost everyone now. But have you ever stopped to wonder how features like the “like” button, share counts, or comment threads subtly shape how we talk to each other? What if we redesigned some of these core interactions—could we create space for healthier, more thoughtful online conversations?

In this talk, Feiyue Chen proposes two new symbols as a response to the limitations of current social media design. By rethinking the tools we use to interact, he invites us to imagine new possibilities for how we connect—and how we disagree—with others online. With a background in architecture from MIT, Chen brings a spatial lens to his analysis of social platforms. He co-founded Sand Dune Institute, a name that reflects the ever-shifting nature of digital space—shaped continuously by the flow of information, like dunes in the wind. We’re living in a time when social media is saturated with polarized opinions, hostile exchanges, and the vanishing of shared understanding. In his widely read article The Disappearance of Discussion in the Chinese Internet, Chen argues that rational, high-quality dialogue is essential for any true public sphere. Without it, we’re left with growing extremes, harmful simplifications, and endless, unproductive conflict. His work challenges us to ask: can we design for better conversations?