Popular social media icons on its screen. Photo / 123rf
Popular social media icons on its screen. Photo / 123rf
Former Google and Facebook employees have launched a multi-million pound campaign to curb the worst effects of social media after becoming disillusioned.
The campaign, called The Truth About Tech, wants better protections for children using smartphones and more done by internet giants to curb addiction, reports The Daily Telegraph.
One programme will make teaching resources available to 55,000 schools across the US as part of an effort to explain the impact of social media.
Another will see adverts worth up to $50 million (£36 million) highlighting the dangers of overusing social media apps, such as depression.
The campaign will also promote two pieces of legislation: One commissioning research on how children's health is impacted by technology, another restricting the use of anonymous, automated accounts, often known as "bots".
Tristan Harris, who helped launch the campaign and was once an in-house ethics adviser for Google, told The Telegraph he was concerned by the influence internet companies now have.
"The thoughts of two billion people every day are steered by 50 people in Mountain View," said Mr Harris, referring to the Californian headquarters of Google.
"No one talks about that. It is a 100 per cent blind spot."
The campaign is being run by two groups: the Centre for Humane Technology, launched this week, and Common Sense, a non-profit group campaigning for safe technology for children.
The Centre for Humane Technology is supported by Roger McNamee, who used to advise Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and former employees at tech firms such as Mozilla.
A blurb from the group's website reads: "Our society is being hijacked by technology. What began as a race to monetise our attention is now eroding the pillars of our society: Mental health, democracy, social relationships, and our children."
It goes on: "Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google have produced amazing products that have benefited the world enormously.
A Facebook logo is seen on a smartphone and on the backdrop. Photo / Getty Images
"But these companies are also caught in a zero-sum race for our finite attention, which they need to make money.
"Constantly forced to outperform their competitors, they must use increasingly persuasive techniques to keep us glued.
"They point AI-driven news feeds, content, and notifications at our minds, continually learning how to hook us more deeply—from our own behavior."
Concern about the impact of social media on children has increased recently after companies launched new platforms targeting the young.
Parents have criticised YouTube Kids, an app from the video-sharing platform aimed at children, after it emerged that violent videos were appearing on the service.
Facebook's Messenger Kids, an app which allows children as young as six to send messages to friends, has also gained attention since it was announced in December.
Corbie Kiernan, a spokesman for the Common Sense, said The Truth About Tech campaign was about tackling the "manipulation and exploitation" of some social media companies.
"Tech companies have created this attention economy and have ignored the consequences along the way," she told The Telegraph.
Ms Kiernan added: "We want to see the tech industry engage in more humane design that prevents digital addiction."
Executives at leading technology companies have argued they run platforms used by customers and are not publishers who have a responsibility for content.
They have also argued that increasing connections between individuals is good for society and that protections have been added as dangers emerged.
