‘Wait a minute,’ I interrupt Emma, ‘we could also focus on creating a platform that’s part of a larger ecosystem where users can connect with each other and uplift the community in a genuine way.’

John snaps back at me, making his point loud and clear, ‘I’m not interested in ethics here, Kiana. I want ideas that make us money. Emma, continue.’

‘We could also introduce features like stickers with quotes about different emotions to encourage users to spend more time on the platform. There could be many more ways to keep the users hooked, but I can think of only one at the moment.’

I know this is all wrong and I feel like voicing my concerns, but I also know that John would shut me down in an instant. But I still gather the courage and speak up, ‘But that could lead to negative mental health outcomes for our users. Instead of reaching for the right resources, people might want to fall back into the social media spiral—’

‘Kiana, haven’t I made it clear enough that I don’t care about their mental health as long as it fuels our revenues?’ John cuts me short. ‘Besides, we can always put a disclaimer about mental health concerns. Now, Emma, keep those profit-driven ideas coming.’

Emma nods enthusiastically. ‘We could even partner with platform advertisers to specifically target users who’re feeling lonely. This will increase the likelihood of them making impulse purchases,’ she suggests.

‘Fantastic! Emma, your ideas align with our goals. Let’s move forward with implementing some of them immediately. Kiana, work with Emma and put together a presentation with execution strategies and projected numbers. We need to get going as soon as possible.’ And with that, John signals that it’s time for his next meeting, so we all troop out of his office.

In Western society, where digital connections surpass genuine real-life ones, loneliness has emerged as a pervasive crisis. Companies such as mine have become experts at adjusting algorithms to exploit user vulnerabilities. Each interaction, whether it’s a like, comment or share, is carefully analysed to maintain user engagement while perpetuating the illusion of a connection. The reality is that we are playing on the feelings of isolation.

Will people ever liberate themselves from the grip of social media manipulation? Or are they destined to remain enslaved forever?

It’s in moments like these that I want to start a company of my own and work on at least trying to fix some of the genuine problems I see in this world. My job does fill my pockets and give wings to many of my aspirations, but on days like today I don’t feel proud of what I do. I want to change things. Then again, not everyone has the courage or the opportunity to break free from the shackles of everyday existence and do bigger things in life.