Social Media CEOs, executives, and shareholders have an opportunity to ethically reform their social media platforms for the betterment of society. We are asking for their help.

Since Facebook became available as a mobile app in 2009, we have seen suicide rates increase in teen girls by 70% and in pre-teen girls by 151% (The Social Dilemma, 2020). We were aware of the potential negative impact of social media as related to mental health - phone notifications and the propensity for addiction, and the craving for external validation related to being "liked" and "loved" as part of our self-worth; however, we have only recently understood the monetization of social media as a tool for psychological manipulation.

Here's what we find concerning:

Social media platforms use algorithms for analysis and data to determine what will keep us engaged with the platform for the longest amount of time possible. They use this information to profile us - determine our level of neuroses, our sadness, depression, what makes us angry; anything that keeps us using the platform consistently and continuously. From that data, Facebook and other social media platforms send out "recommended for you" videos and posts to keep us engaged. They use this info in an attempt to manipulate and modify our behaviors ever so slightly - we hardly notice, but we are influenced. The algorithm is incapable of determining whether their recommendations are harmful to us. It will recommend videos and posts that perpetuate loneliness, sadness, and anger as long as it keeps us using the platform. We find this unethical and we ask that all social media executives engage in ethical reform of their respective platforms. We further ask that all social media platforms cease selling "human users" as a product to advertisers and those who wish to use the algorithm to ham and divide us. 

We ask that people take action in the following ways until ethical reform is considered by all social media executives:

• Turn off your phone notifications for all social media. Research indicates that those notifications have the same propensity for addiction via the same mechanism of action observed in drug and gambling addictions. The algorithm can assess if you have been away from the social media platform for a period of time and will send out a notification to draw you back in. Shut them off and observe how often you choose to engage with social media.  
• Never click on, watch, comment on, or react to any videos or posts that are "recommended for you". This is how we are being manipulated and influenced by confirming our biases. This creates division among human beings and is contributing to the detriment of contemporary society. Again, they are recommending them because they believe it will keep you engaged with the social media platform for the longest time possible, which increases their advertising revenue. They do not consider the integrity of the information, nor whether it is harmful to you as a person. This is not acceptable.
• If you feel inclined, deactivate your social media accounts until technological ethical reform is passed. We are what is being sold for profit. Our overall societal and personal health cannot be used as a tool for profit if we deactivate. Deactivation is the best way to demand action.