[dcow]

Exactly. If his hypothesis is correct and we are better off without these attention-seeking platforms, then the true solution lies in building platforms that are better for humanity and migrating as consumers to these healthier platforms. Instead he's just groveling for CEOs of platform comeanies to issue some edict that will transform their business model and health metrics overnight to something that is less about attention and more about.. social value? Last time I checked shareholders and your bottom line don't care about social value unless that is the product you're in the business of providing. It's not Facebook's job to help me be a good person and frankly I don't want them pretending it is. If I want to meet you for beers and politics I'll make that happen, not Facebook.

[pmoriarty]

"Last time I checked shareholders and your bottom line don't care about social value unless that is the product you're in the business of providing."

There's something called "Ethical Investing" (aka "Socially responsible investing", "sustainable investing" or "resposible investing").[1]

Its existence is clear proof that at least some investors do care about the social value of the companies and products they invest in.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_investing