Although the extent to which political polarization leads individuals to violate democratic norms is a matter of debate, it is hard to imagine an event like the Capitol riot occurring absent such a polarized political climate.If the free exchange of ideas between non-likeminded people is a basic tenet of democracy, then affective polarization threatens to undermine democracy itself.Based on our recent review of more than half a century’s worth of research into how best to bridge social divides, there are clear steps digital platforms can take to curb polarization.What we know about polarization and social media Recent research suggests that social media can inflame polarization, even if the full relationship between digital platforms and polarized attitudes remains uncertain.For instance, Jamie Settle’s work demonstrates, through a combination of surveys and experiments, that affective polarization is likely to rise when social media users encounter content with partisan cues, even if the content is not explicitly political."