Techies push back against social media to fight tech addiction

Techical wizards are turning against the very companies they were once associated with in a bid to mitigate the perils of tech addiction. They will build pressure on social media companies to make their products less addictive and manipulative.

''Truth About Tech'' is the initiative of the Center for Humane Technology, a group of former Facebook and Google employees dedicated to ''reversing the digital attention crisis and realigning technology with humanity's best interests'' and is funded by Common Sense, a not-for-profit focused on promotion of safe technology and media for children.

The campaign includes educational material for families that highlights the harm caused by digital platforms. It seeks to help users to mitigate the addictive properties of tech, by outlining various techniques to, like turning off notifications and changing the screen to greyscale.

Lobbying around the issue, the group will call on policymakers to regulate tech companies using manipulative practices. The two organisations will develop standards of ethical design to help the industry discourage digital addiction.

Former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris and former Facebook investor and advisor Roger Mcnamee are leading the effort through their organisation Center for Humane Technology.

''Tech companies are conducting a massive, real-time experiment on our kids, and, at present, no one is really holding them accountable,'' said Common Sense's CEO, James Steyer, The Guardian reported.

According to Jim Steyer, co-founder of Common Sense Media, a watchdog focused on children's exposure to social media, the CHT comprises a group of whistleblower-like people who exposed big tobacco.

''When we really came to expose the nicotine industry and its intentional creation of addictive products with nicotine, the only way that really happened was with whistleblowers in the companies that said, 'Yes, we are intentionally adding nicotine','' he said, The Times reported.