_employees_only____!
jk, come on in




I would like to take a moment to cycle through the dirty laundry of Big Tech.

It is hard enough to address emotional manipulation- these abusers are not just hiding behind the screen - they are coding it. Big Tech (the developers of Instagram, Spotify, Youtube, etc) are currently paid to manipulate us by turning social currency into a computer game, and using any means neccesary to get us addicted to their apps. They use specific psychological tactics to convince us that it’s fun to spend our lives competing with others and donating personal data which is sold to advertisers.

Engaging in this toxic dynamic is highly interfering with my creativity and sanity. I've had to create alternate ways of publishing and funding to stay completely true to my art.

So here I am, bringing you, my dear guest, into our laundry room, cleaned up after long hours of research & process, to uncover this info for your own sanitation needs.

Why should you care?
There is a huge lack of discussion and resources for relavent info about emotional abuse caused by Big Tech workers. If we regularly use these tools, we should be able to know how they work and what illnesses our engagement can affect - when we are under the influence (*cough* influencers) and generally using Big Tech unconsciously.

Despite the algorithm, we have still been able to amplify movements & find community. I believe that with this information, we can better use platforms to assess our needs, as well as igniting change, and designing new platforms which are actually serving communities and empowering new art.

xx
diaspoura








A toolkit for harm reduction

it is highly recommendend to take the day or work in sections with the tab open to complete the whole learning list! skip around! bookmark! copy/paste it into this site & read it aloud. do what u gotta do!



how exactly do Big Tech companies work to manipulate me? what to watch for:


1. Turning your social life into a video game, driving competition & enforcing social hierarchies


🌎 6 min read: Gamification In Online Communities(Sarah Robinson-Yu, March 2019)

🌎 16 min read: The Dark Side of Gamifying Work (Vincent Gabrielle, Nov 2018)



2. Designing platforms for addiction (copying the slot-machine, reinforcement schedules)



🌎 4 min read:Social media copies gambling methods 'to create psychological cravings'(Mattha Busby, May 2018)

🌎 15 min video:


what are the risks associated with unconscious use?


1. Gamified social media brews anxiety: psychological effects, mental health risks>



🌎 8 min read: How Instagram takes a toll on influencers' brains (Jenni Gritters, Jan 2019)



2. The wellness industrial complex fuels & bandaids mental exhaustion caused by social media. Creating habits of self-criticism and shame posed as "self-care," they scrutinize the user and not the app

🌎 8 min read: How Self-Care Became So Much Work (Charlotte Lieberman, Aug 2018)



how can i protect myself?


1. Tips for mental protection


🌎 11 min read: Distracted in 2016? Reboot Your Phone with Mindfulness (Tristin Harris, Jan 2016)

No wonder tech workers are making so much money while DIY artists and publications are fasing out.

Big Tech is not only working against our mental health, but also taking away the rights to our art and personal data. Here are the latest issues you should know about:

1. Youtube uses pretty much free music and content to sell ad space for major profit. Streaming industry benefits Big Music Tech & major advertisers (including influencers), while running artists into the ground.

🌎 26 min read: The copyright killer (Ron Knox, Jan 2019)



2. Streaming platforms quietly lobby to pay artists less. Spotify, Google, Pandora, and Amazon are currently working against being regulated to give a slight, still little-to-nothing, wage increase.

🌎 5 min read: A Guide to the Royalties Battle Between Streaming Services and Songwriters (Marc Hogan, March 2019)



3. Spotify privately sells personal data to major advertisers, uses streaming surveillance for a future of personalized & emotionally manipulative ads

🌎 18 min read: Big Mood Machine: Spotify pursues emotional surveillance for global profit (Liz Pelly, June 2019)





T HAN K _U for reading & considering this resource.

And if you just got through all the readings -- yesss!! goal! u go!

The work of researching, compiling, designing, & hardcoding this page was made possible with the web of trust that is Diaspoura's Patreon family. If you want to support honest art & music that is uncensored, unreliant, and opposing corporate sponsorships, please join!

It would bring me joy if you pass on the link, and bookmark this page 2 check inn again!

Take care in the www. Luv u