Ex-Google And Facebook Employees Plan to Fight Tech Addiction, Launches 'Truth About Tech'

By Roy Sotelo, Christian Post Contributor Tuesday, February 06, 2018

Former Google and Facebook employees came together to launch a campaign against the addictive and manipulative side of technology companies.

"Truth About Tech" was founded through the Center for Humane Technology, a group of former tech CEOs and insiders dedicated to putting an end to the "digital attention crisis" brought by technology. It is now funded by Common Sense, an independent nonprofit organization founded to guide children through media and technology.

According to Common Sense, the "Truth About Tech: How Tech Has Kids Hooked" conference include talks on how digital distraction affects the health of avid tech users.

The Center for Humane Technology reports that technology was "designed to addict us," naming Snapchat, Google, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube as part of the problem of today's society.

"Our society is being hijacked by technology," the website further reports. "What began as a race to monetize our attention is now eroding the pillars of our society: mental health, democracy, social relationships, and our children."

With this, Center for Humane Technology proposes a solution through understanding the problems of technology. This is where "Truth About Tech" is rooted on.

"When parents learn how these companies can take advantage of our kids, they will join us in demanding the industry change its ways and improve certain practices," said Common Sense CEO James Steyer as obtained by the Guardian.

According to research by Common Sense, American teenagers consume an average of nine hours of media every day for entertainment, whereas teenage boys dedicate almost an hour per day to play video games. The research further showed a stark difference in the consumption of media among children of various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.

Several speakers for the "Truth About Tech: How Tech Has Kids Hooked" conference have been directly involved in creating technological and media advancements. The upcoming conference is on Feb. 7 at the Kaiser Center for Total Health.