“IG is a drug… we're basically pushers
THE EVIDENCE
THE RECEIPTS
Internal documents. Leaked memos. Sworn testimony. They knew exactly what they were doing to your brain—and they did it anyway.
“Users often feel 'addicted' and know that what they're seeing is bad for their mental health but feel unable to stop themselves
“Minors do not have executive mental function to control their screen time
“Users who have the Snapchat addiction have no room for anything else
“We need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while
“The thought process was: 'How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?'
“God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains
“It's a social-validation feedback loop… exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with
“We make body image issues worse for 1 in 3 teen girls
“Teens blame Instagram for increases in anxiety and depression
“Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves
“They trust me. Dumb f*cks.
“A squirrel dying in front of your house may be more relevant to your interests right now than people dying in Africa
“Our algorithms exploit the human brain's attraction to divisiveness
“If left unchecked, [Facebook] will feed users more and more divisive content in an effort to gain user attention & increase time on the platform
THEY DON'T LET THEIR KIDS USE IT
Steve Jobs
Limited children's iPad and iPhone use
Source: Biography by Walter Isaacson
Bill Gates
Didn't give children phones until age 14
Source: Interview
Chris Anderson
Former Wired editor
We don't allow iPads. We think it's too dangerous for them
Source: Interview
Silicon Valley parents
Hire 'screen-free nannies' and send kids to Waldorf schools with no-screen policies
Source: Multiple reports
If their own creators won't let their children use these products, why should you?
The evidence is clear.
They built these systems knowing they would harm you. They optimized for engagement while their own research showed the damage. Now you know too.