1 in 6 people are lonely and the algorithm knows why

The take: Social media algorithms prioritize engagement metrics over user well-being outcomes.

What happened: On 3 November 2025, vulnerability researcher Brené Brown told The Diary of A CEO that algorithms powered by AI are "unbelievably addictive" and driving what she calls a "spiritual crisis" where people are "emotionally dysregulated, distrustful of each other, and disconnected."

Why it matters: The World Health Organisation reported in June 2025 that one in six people experience significant loneliness, with 63% of social media users reporting increased feelings of isolation.

What to watch: Legislative pushback is accelerating. Over 75 bills addressing algorithmic effects were introduced across 35 US states between 2023 and 2024, with multiple lawsuits alleging platforms knowingly designed addictive features that harm mental health.

[Analysis] The Diary of A CEO interview with Brené Brown. Published 3 November 2025.

The conversation covers Brown's two decades of research on vulnerability, shame, and human connection, with a focus on how digital platforms interact with emotional needs.

You were promised a connection. They sold you an attention economy instead.

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Tech platforms profit from the loneliness crisis they helped create.

Algorithms designed to maximize ad revenue learned that fear and confirmation bias retain attention longer than nuanced content.

Show users content that triggers emotional spikes (such as outrage, envy, or anxiety), measure engagement, and repeat.

Brené Brown's research on vulnerability conflicts with Silicon Valley's incentive structures, aligns with the WHO's June 2025 documentation.

Showing that one in six humans experience significant loneliness, with youth aged 13-29 reporting rates between 17% and 21%.

Platforms require a user connection to exist. Genuine connection doesn't generate profitable engagement metrics.

A 10-minute vulnerable conversation with a friend generates zero ad impressions. Infinite scrolling through curated outrage generates 47+ ad slots.

Algorithms suppress low-engagement interactions and amplify high-engagement content.

Platforms frame this as "personalization" and "relevance."

Social media business models profit from isolation patterns while marketing connections.

The engagement data gets sold.

Pro: Algorithms surface content users want, enable global communities that wouldn't exist offline, and provide free access to information and connection for billions who couldn't afford alternatives.

Con: Engagement-focused algorithms exploit psychological vulnerabilities for profit, prioritize divisive content over constructive dialogue, and create compulsive usage patterns that harm mental health, especially in youth.

Our read: The issue isn't whether algorithms exist but what metrics they optimize. Platforms prioritize ad revenue over user well-being because that's how they generate quarterly earnings.

Georgetown University's Knight Global Institute: "Better Feeds: Algorithms That Put People First" (March 2025)

The research documents how platforms prioritize short-term engagement metrics (such as clicks, likes, and shares) over long-term user outcomes. Product teams get rewarded for quarterly usage gains. Investors reward companies that deliver audiences to advertisers.

The report states "engagement metrics that optimise for entertainment are unlikely to foster rational debates" and calls for transparency about optimization goals. The findings indicate platforms understood the effects of their design choices.

63% of social media users report an increase in loneliness. — Multiple 2025 studies

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