The problems outlined in “The Social Dilemma” cannot be solved by calling for more “Humane Technology”

The movie got a few things right: Yes, the social media companies’ manipulation of their users is a problem because it leads to greater polarization by putting everyone in their own little bubble. Yes, if this continues, there will no longer be a consensual reality, everyone becomes entitled to their own facts, and society will fall apart. And absolutely yes, private corporations must not have unaccountable power to change human behavior at scale for profits.

But this is only part of the larger problem.

Social media prevent real and critical conversations from happening. The movie highlighted some of them: teenage girls’ body image, COVID conspiracy theories, and political outrage. But it also left out the most critical one: how late-stage capitalism drives climate change, disparity, and social collapse. Capitalism is the uber player manipulating and using everyone and destroying everything to make more and more profits. Social media is but one manifestation of that.

We cannot solve the social media problem while ignoring the deeper and stronger forces of Capitalism that are driving them. Every social media company: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, etc., etc., uses the same business model because it is the…