Mitsutoshi Saito

Nowadays the internet is full of fake news and mean comments, and hacking and cyberattacks happen all the time. Why has the internet become so hard to trust?

I understand that you studied internet culture and online communities for a long time. Why do people so quickly trust or hate others online? Could you share what you found in your research?

You have also experienced online harassment. You used to struggle with mean comments on social media, right?

How did you feel and respond at that time? How did you get over it?

How to get over and respond to mean comments is very important. This is a big problem in Japan, because people use smartphones from five or six years old. Do you have any advice for young people and children? How do we turn negative feelings into bright memories?

In your books and interviews, you have said that you had a hard time fitting in at school when you were young. At age 14, you left junior high school and chose a path of self-directed learning. Why did you make that choice, and how did those experiences become your strengths?

You have consistently advocated for digital inclusion. Why is it so important, and what does a truly inclusive digital society look like to you?

How do you use AI in your daily life — for coding, writing or organizing your thoughts? On the other hand, is there any work you decide never to leave to AI?

Is there any work you decide never to leave to AI?

My last question. You became famous worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic for solving the mask shortage in Taiwan in just a few days. How were you able to do that? What was the secret?