Social media:
your social dilemma

“Success in creating effective AI could be the biggest event in the history of our civilization. Or the worst. We just don’t know.” 

Stephen Hawking

Can you imagine your fridge having ears, and opening the door by itself to tempt yourself to eat that chocolate cream you don't really need? Would your car be able to encourage you to speed up if it sensed you were on edge?

I know these statements sound crazy. Sounds like a sci-fi movie where robots surpass human intelligence, isn't it?

But what if the technological manipulation by our everyday objects really did inhabit our daily lives? You see where I'm going with this, and it's through a tool we all have in common that witchcraft operates: social media.

The place where you stay in touch with your closest ones. The place that empowers you and gives you credit as you can reach thousands of people. The place where you feel comforable sharing your life. Isn't that a clone of your identity? Your virtual second home.

Yet, this virtual home knows you even better than yourself. It's no coincidence that the French spend an average of 38 hours on tiktok in a month (check source here): these platforms are designed so that your attention is a money-making commodity.

We're talking about a colossal, unprecedented invasion of privacy, emotions and convictions that surpasses anything we could imagine. And your phone is the perfect weapon: big tech companies pre-install their apps on your devices, and since all your friends have signed up to the platform, you don't want to miss out.

Only a few weeks after you signed up, TikTok subjects you to suicidal and self-harming content (you should read more about this here). Attracted by the absurdity of racist, anti-Semitic or climate-skeptic comments? They generate more money than neutral content! Once you've clicked on one of these videos, you're at the doorstep of thousands of conspiracy-mongering accounts. The suggestions will fall in and lock you into a loop of inifis and confirmation bias.

Don't you believe me? Platform bosses and creators say it themselves on camera in the buzzworthy documentary: The Social Dilemma.

Now that things have been said, get informed and take action! It's never too late to regain control of your life. Artificial intelligence won't be the revolution that Stephen Hawking talks about!

Article by Paul Lardet 
- No artificial intelligence or social media used to write the article