The Center for Humane Technology: Mission, Impact, and Future of Humane Tech

The Center for Humane Technology (CHT) is a nonprofit organization founded by former tech insiders dedicated to realigning technology with humanity’s best interests. Co-founded by Tristan Harris, Aza Raskin, and Randima Fernando in 2018, CHT has evolved from diagnosing social media’s harms to actively shaping the future of artificial intelligence. What began as an internal movement at Google has grown into a global force influencing how billions of people interact with technology, advocating for design ethics that prioritize human well-being over engagement metrics.

Origins & Evolution: From Time Well Spent to a Global Movement

The “Time Well Spent” Foundation

The seeds of the Center for Humane Technology were planted in 2013 when Tristan Harris, then a design ethicist at Google, created a presentation titled “A Call to Minimize Distraction & Respect Users’ Attention.” Harris’s 144-slide deck critiqued how technology companies were hijacking users’ minds through persuasive design techniques. His core argument was simple but radical: technology should be designed to support user well-being and help people spend their time wisely, rather than maximizing screen time and engagement.

This philosophy became known as the “Time Well Spent” movement. Harris argued that the attention economy was fundamentally broken, with apps and platforms competing to extract as much attention as possible from users. The movement called for a fundamental shift in how technologists approached their work, prioritizing human values over corporate metrics.

Founding and “The Social Dilemma” Impact

In February 2018, Harris joined forces with Aza Raskin, a renowned interface designer and entrepreneur, to formally establish the Center for Humane Technology. They were later joined by Randima Fernando, completing the core founding team. The organization positioned itself as a voice from inside the tech industry, staffed by former employees of major technology companies who understood the mechanisms of brain hacking and algorithmic manipulation from firsthand experience.

The organization’s influence exploded in 2020 with the release of “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix. The documentary featured Harris, Raskin, and other CHT advisors explaining how social media platforms use intermittent variable rewards, infinite scroll, and algorithmic personalization to create addictive user experiences. The film connected these design choices to serious societal consequences including political polarization, mental health crises among teenagers, loneliness, and the spread of misinformation.

“The Social Dilemma” reached over 100 million viewers worldwide and transformed public conversation about technology’s role in society. It brought terms like “human downgrading” and “attention economy” into mainstream discourse, making CHT’s mission accessible to parents, educators, policymakers, and concerned citizens across the globe.

The Pivot to Artificial Intelligence

By 2023, the Center for Humane Technology had begun shifting its focus toward what it considers the defining technological challenge of our era: artificial intelligence. In 2024, CHT launched its “AI and What Makes Us Human” initiative, a comprehensive effort to shape AI development before patterns of exploitation become entrenched.

This initiative identifies three fundamental pillars of humanity that AI threatens to undermine: our sense-making and cognition, our relationships and social fabric, and our personal agency and identity. Rather than opposing AI outright, CHT advocates for AI alignment with human values, pushing for regulatory frameworks and design principles that preserve what makes us fundamentally human.

As of 2026, this AI-focused work represents CHT’s primary mission, though the organization continues to address ongoing social media harms while preparing society for transformative AI capabilities.

Core Mission: Diagnosing Problems and Advocating Solutions

The Harms of the “Attention Economy”

The Center for Humane Technology’s foundational work involved diagnosing how the business model of major technology platforms creates systemic harm. At the core of their critique is the attention economy, a system where companies profit by capturing and commodifying human attention.

CHT explains that social media platforms employ sophisticated psychological techniques to maximize engagement. These include brain hacking strategies like infinite scroll (which eliminates natural stopping points), push notifications (leveraging intermittent variable rewards similar to slot machines), and algorithmic feeds that prioritize emotionally provocative content. The result is what CHT calls “human downgrading,” where our capacity for attention, connection, and critical thinking is systematically diminished.

The documented harms of this system are extensive. Mental health professionals have observed rising rates of anxiety, depression, and social media addiction, particularly among adolescents. Democratic institutions face threats from algorithmically-amplified polarization that pushes users toward extreme viewpoints and creates filter bubbles. Social comparison features encourage unhealthy competition and erode self-esteem. Misinformation spreads faster than fact-checking can counter it because emotionally charged false content often generates more engagement than nuanced truth.

CHT argues these aren’t accidental side effects but predictable outcomes of a business model that optimizes for engagement metrics rather than human flourishing.

The Principles of “Humane Technology”

In contrast to exploitative design, the Center for Humane Technology advocates for humane technology built on fundamentally different principles. Humane technology respects users’ attention rather than hijacking it, supports genuine well-being rather than addictive engagement, and strengthens democracy rather than polarizing societies.

Key principles include transparent design that makes algorithmic processes understandable to users, giving people meaningful control over their technology experiences, designing for time well spent rather than maximum time spent, and corporate responsibility that extends beyond shareholder value to encompass societal impact.

To make these principles actionable, CHT developed the “Foundations of Humane Technology” course, a free online educational resource that teaches designers, engineers, and product managers how to build technology that serves humanity. The course covers everything from the neuroscience of attention to practical frameworks for ethical design decisions.

CHT also promotes specific policy interventions, including reforms to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, antitrust legislation to reduce platform monopolies, and algorithmic transparency requirements. For social media specifically, they’ve advocated for innovations like a “two-level sharing limit” that would reduce viral amplification of content.

How the Center for Humane Technology Creates Change

Public Awareness & Media (Your Undivided Attention Podcast)

One of CHT’s most influential platforms is “Your Undivided Attention,” a podcast co-hosted by Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin. Launched in 2019, the podcast serves as both an educational resource and a forum for deep conversations with thought leaders, whistleblowers, and experts.

The podcast has featured remarkable guests including Yuval Noah Harari discussing the future of humanity, Frances Haugen sharing her Facebook whistleblower revelations, and leading AI researchers exploring existential risks. Episodes dive deep into topics like the psychology of persuasive design, the geopolitics of technology, and the philosophical questions raised by artificial intelligence.

With millions of downloads, “Your Undivided Attention” has become essential listening for anyone seeking to understand technology’s societal impact. The podcast’s strength lies in its ability to make complex technical and ethical issues accessible while maintaining intellectual rigor.

Policy Advocacy & Litigation

The Center for Humane Technology actively works with government regulators and policymakers to shape technology governance. Tristan Harris has testified before Congress multiple times, briefing lawmakers on issues ranging from social media’s impact on democracy to AI safety concerns.

CHT’s policy advocacy includes supporting antitrust actions against major tech platforms, proposing reforms to Section 230 that would hold platforms accountable for algorithmic amplification, and advocating for AI regulation before transformative systems are deployed at scale. The organization provides briefings for policymakers, helping translate technical complexities into actionable policy frameworks.

In recent years, CHT has also engaged in strategic litigation, including supporting lawsuits against AI chatbot companies whose products have been linked to harm. This multi-pronged approach combines grassroots awareness, policy expertise, and legal action to drive systemic change.

Education & Industry Resources

Beyond public advocacy, CHT works directly with the technology industry through educational initiatives and professional resources. The “Foundations of Humane Technology” course has reached thousands of current and aspiring technologists, many of whom have applied its principles in their work at major companies.

CHT has also developed resources specifically for parents and educators concerned about children’s technology use, providing practical guidance on healthy digital habits and media literacy. A 2022 grant from Susan Crown Exchange supported expanding these educational offerings to reach youth audiences directly.

The organization regularly hosts briefings for technology professionals, creating space for industry insiders to grapple with ethical challenges in their work. By positioning itself as a resource rather than just a critic, CHT maintains credibility and influence within Silicon Valley even as it pushes for fundamental change.

Impact, Recognition, and Funding

Documented Influence on Tech Giants

The Center for Humane Technology’s advocacy has contributed to concrete changes at major technology platforms. Following years of pressure from CHT and aligned organizations, Apple introduced Screen Time in iOS 12, giving users tools to monitor and limit their device usage. Google launched its Digital Wellbeing initiative with similar features for Android.

Facebook (now Meta) has made multiple algorithmic adjustments, reducing the amplification of divisive content and implementing features that CHT had advocated for. While CHT argues these changes don’t go far enough, they represent acknowledgment from the industry that attention-maximizing design has serious downsides.

Beyond product changes, CHT has shifted industry conversation. Terms like “time well spent,” “humane technology,” and “human downgrading” are now part of the vocabulary within technology companies, creating space for designers and engineers to question engagement-at-all-costs metrics.

Recognition and Credibility

The organization’s influence has been recognized across sectors. Tristan Harris was named to the Time 100 list of most influential people. Roger McNamee, an early advisor to CHT, became a prominent voice warning about technology’s dangers. CHT’s work has been featured in major media outlets worldwide and has influenced academic research on technology’s societal impact.

This recognition stems from CHT’s unique positioning: unlike academic critics or regulatory outsiders, CHT’s founders are former tech insiders who can credibly explain industry practices while maintaining moral authority to critique them. This insider-turned-whistleblower narrative gives CHT exceptional persuasive power.

Funding and Transparency

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Center for Humane Technology operates through philanthropic support rather than commercial revenue. Major funders have included Open Society Foundations, Omidyar Network, and the Ford Foundation. This foundation support has allowed CHT to maintain independence from technology industry interests while building comprehensive programs.

CHT maintains financial transparency through publicly available Form 990 filings, standard practice for nonprofit organizations. The organization operates from its headquarters in San Francisco, positioning it at the heart of the technology industry it seeks to reform.

Some observers have noted that CHT’s funding comes primarily from left-of-center foundations, raising questions about potential political bias. However, the organization’s focus on design ethics and technology governance has found supporters across the political spectrum, particularly as concerns about technology’s power have become bipartisan.

FAQS

Conclusion: The Path Forward

The Center for Humane Technology represents a critical voice in ongoing debates about technology’s role in society. By combining insider expertise with public advocacy, rigorous analysis with accessible communication, and diagnosis of current harms with visions for better alternatives, CHT has established itself as a leading organization in the movement for ethical technology.

As artificial intelligence capabilities accelerate, CHT’s work becomes increasingly urgent. The patterns established during the social media era—extractive business models, regulatory capture, and the prioritization of engagement over well-being—threaten to replicate at even greater scale with AI systems. CHT’s mission to realign technology with humanity provides both a warning about current trajectories and a roadmap for creating technology that genuinely serves human flourishing.

Whether through policy reform, industry education, public awareness, or new design paradigms, the Center for Humane Technology continues pushing for a future where technology amplifies the best of humanity rather than exploiting our psychological vulnerabilities. In an age of increasing technological power, this mission has never been more essential.