Over the past few years, the U.S. has been plagued with a misinformation crisis, attributed largely to the abuse of social media. Recently, many other countries, such as India and Kenya, have seen upticks in violence. The U.S. media are quick to blame the increasing popularity of messaging tools such as WhatsApp. But while it may be tempting to draw parallels, that’s a mistake, argues The Atlantic writer Alexis Madrigal.

In the latest Atlantic Argument, Madrigal explains why blaming social media for inciting violence abroad obscures the nuances of each international political situation—and grievously misplaces the locus of responsibility.