In a report from the New York Times, a group of former Facebook and Google employees aren't happy with the ill effects of social networks and smartphones, and are creating a union to fight what they helped build. The coalition is called the "Center for Humane Technology" and plans on an anti-tech addiction lobbying effort and an ad campaign at 55,000 public schools. The campaign, titles "Truth About Tech" aims to educate students, parents, and teachers about the dangers of technology and the associated depression that can come from heavy social media usage.
We have been writing about the dangers of social media on young people for a while. From generational data showing the effects of social media and smartphones on children, kids attending "smartphone rehab," teens getting mental illness from extreme internet usage, and even Apple's Tim Cook saying he won't let his nephew on social media. Social media is a real problem for some people, and it seems to effect the young very negatively. I am glad this group is getting together to raise some awareness about it.
The new Center for Humane Technology includes an unprecedented alliance of former employees of some of today's biggest tech companies. Apart from Mr. Harris, former in-house ethicist at Google who is heading the new group, the center includes Sandy Parakilas, a former Facebook operations manager; Lynn Fox, a former Apple and Google communications executive; Dave Morin, a former Facebook executive; Justin Rosenstein, who created Facebook’s Like button and is a co-founder of Asana; Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook; and Renée DiResta, a technologist who studies bots.
We have been writing about the dangers of social media on young people for a while. From generational data showing the effects of social media and smartphones on children, kids attending "smartphone rehab," teens getting mental illness from extreme internet usage, and even Apple's Tim Cook saying he won't let his nephew on social media. Social media is a real problem for some people, and it seems to effect the young very negatively. I am glad this group is getting together to raise some awareness about it.
The new Center for Humane Technology includes an unprecedented alliance of former employees of some of today's biggest tech companies. Apart from Mr. Harris, former in-house ethicist at Google who is heading the new group, the center includes Sandy Parakilas, a former Facebook operations manager; Lynn Fox, a former Apple and Google communications executive; Dave Morin, a former Facebook executive; Justin Rosenstein, who created Facebook’s Like button and is a co-founder of Asana; Roger McNamee, an early investor in Facebook; and Renée DiResta, a technologist who studies bots.