Decoder with Nilay Patel Recode Decode: Tristan Harris
May 6, 2019
Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology and former design ethicist at Google, shares his insights on 'human downgrading' and its implications for society. He discusses the co-opting of his earlier movement, Time Well Spent, by tech giants. Harris critiques digital well-being features from Apple and Google and highlights the urgent need for accountability in tech. He argues that platforms like Facebook and YouTube are more harmful than environmental disasters, calling for ethical design and governance in the digital space.
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Interconnected Problems
- Tristan Harris argues that tech addiction, polarization, outrage, and the rise of vanity culture are interconnected.
- These problems stem from the race for human attention by tech giants using AI.
Zuckerberg's Dismissal
- Mark Zuckerberg initially dismissed the impact of fake news on elections.
- Harris saw how simple language like "time well spent" created awareness and change.
Outrage Amplification
- While digital well-being features are a start, they barely address the larger issue of human downgrading.
- Outrage is amplified on social media because it generates more attention.
