{{short description|American computer scientist and businessman}} {{Infobox person | name = Tristan Harris | image = Tristan Harris crop.jpg | caption = Harris during the Collision Conference at Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, 2018 | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|32|2016|11}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | education = Stanford University (BS) | organization = Center for Humane Technology (co-founder) | known_for = Starring in ''The Social Dilemma'' (2020) | website = {{url|tristanharris.com|Official website}} }} '''Tristan Harris''' ({{IPAc-en|t|r|ɪ|s|'|t|ɑː|n}}; born 1983/1984)<ref name="Bosker 2018" /> is an American technology ethicist. He is the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/company/time-well-spent|title=Center for Humane Technology: Most Innovative Company {{!}} Fast Company|work=Fast Company|access-date=2018-11-16}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tech workers can help to police their employers|url=https://www.ft.com/content/c585eeb2-d3aa-11e8-a9f2-7574db66bcd5|access-date=2018-11-16|website=Financial Times}}</ref>
Harris has appeared in the Netflix documentary ''The Social Dilemma''. The film features Harris and other former tech employees explaining how the design of social media platforms nurtures addiction to maximize profit and manipulates people's views, emotions, and behavior. The film also examines social media's effect on mental health, particularly of adolescents.<ref name=":43">{{Citation |last=Orlowski |first=Jeff |title=The Social Dilemma |date=September 9, 2020 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11464826/ |type=Documentary, Drama |others=Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson, Joe Toscano |publisher=Exposure Labs, Argent Pictures, The Space Program |access-date=October 28, 2020}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Harris was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has described his childhood curiosity, including early interests in magic and illusion, as formative in developing an awareness of how easily human perception can be shaped.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tristan Harris |url=https://www.tristanharris.com/ |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=www.tristanharris.com |language=en}}</ref>
He studied computer science at Stanford University while interning at Apple Inc. He then pursued a master's degree at Stanford with a focus on human-computer Interaction, where he took a class from B. J. Fogg, who runs the Persuasive Technology Lab, before dropping out.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Magic of Persuasive Design|url=https://ecorner.stanford.edu/clips/the-magic-of-persuasive-design/|access-date=2021-04-13|website=Stanford eCorner|date=5 November 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Bosker 2018">{{Cite news|last=Bosker|first=Bianca|title=What Will Break People's Addictions to Their Phones?|work=The Atlantic|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/11/the-binge-breaker/501122/|access-date=2018-11-17}}</ref> During his time at Stanford he participated in the Mayfield Fellows Program, which exposed him to successful alumni and future tech leaders.<ref name=":0">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFU1OCkhBwo |title=AI Expert: We Have 2 Years Before Everything Changes! We Need To Start Protesting! - Tristan Harris |date=2025-11-27 |last=The Diary Of A CEO |access-date=2025-12-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref> At Stanford, Harris was classmates with one of Instagram's founders, Kevin Systrom and helped create a demo app with its other founder, Mike Krieger.<ref name="Apture 2010" />
According to his own recounting on the podcast The Diary of a CEO, that early exposure to both technical training and the entrepreneurial mindset helped shape his beliefs about technology's potential to influence and eventually control people’s attention and behavior.<ref name=":0" />
These experiences eventually informed his decision to leave the building of attention-hijacking products behind and instead strive to redesign technology to respect human attention and well-being<ref name=":0" />.
==Career== In 2007, Harris launched a startup called Apture.<ref name="Apture 2010">{{Cite web|title=Apture Highlights Brings Instantaneous Search To Any Web Page|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/08/24/apture-now-brings-instantaneous-search-to-any-web-page/|access-date=2021-04-04|website=TechCrunch|date=24 August 2010 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/11/10/google-buys-contextual-rich-news-browsing-startup-apture-to-beef-up-chrome/|title=Google Buys Contextual Rich News Browsing Startup Apture To Beef Up Chrome|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristanharris/|title=Tristan Harris on LinkedIn|last=Harris|first=Tristan|date=2018-11-17|website=LinkedIn|access-date=}}</ref> Google acquired Apture in 2011, and Harris ended up working on Google Inbox.<ref name="Bosker 2018" />
While at Google, Harris increasingly questioned the ethics of design decisions aimed at maximizing engagement and attention.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How technology brings out the worst in us, with Tristan Harris |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/how-technology-brings-out-the-worst-in-us-with/id1081584611?i=1000402947458 |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=de-DE}}</ref>
In February 2013, while working at Google, Harris authored a presentation titled “A Call to Minimize Distraction & Respect Users’ Attention,” which he shared with a small number of coworkers. In that presentation, he suggested that Google, Apple and Facebook should "feel an enormous responsibility" to make sure humanity does not spend its days buried in a smartphone.<ref name="Haselton 2018">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/google-employee-tristan-harris-internal-2013-presentation-warnings.html|title=Google employee warned in 2013 about five psychological weaknesses that could be used to hook users|last=Haselton|first=Todd|date=2018-05-10|work=CNBC|access-date=2018-11-17}}</ref> The 141-slide deck went viral at Google and was eventually viewed by tens of thousands of Google employees. It sparked conversations about the company's responsibilities long after he left the company.<ref name="Haselton 2018" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/10/17333574/google-android-p-update-tristan-harris-design-ethics|title=Google's new focus on well-being started five years ago with this presentation|last=Newton|first=Casey|date=2018-05-10|website=The Verge|access-date=2018-12-16}}</ref> Harris holds several patents from his previous work at Apple, Wikia, Apture, and Google.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.justia.com/inventor/tristan-harris|title=Patents by Inventor Tristan Harris|access-date=2021-03-04}}</ref>
Harris left Google in December 2015 to co-found the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Time Well Spent, later called the Center for Humane Technology.<ref name="Bosker 2018" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/10/17333574/google-android-p-update-tristan-harris-design-ethics|title=Google's new focus on well-being started five years ago with this presentation|work=The Verge|access-date=2018-11-17}}</ref> Through his work at CHT, Harris hoped to re-align technology with humanity's best interest. He asserted that human minds can be hijacked and the choices they make are not as free as they think they are.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/05/smartphone-addiction-silicon-valley-dystopia|title='Our minds can be hijacked': the tech insiders who fear a smartphone dystopia|last=Lewis|first=Paul|date=2017-10-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2018-11-17|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
At CHT, Harris has advocated for understanding and minimizing the negative impacts of digital technologies. In 2017, he spoke on ''60 Minutes'' with Anderson Cooper about the addictive design of smartphone apps.<ref name="60 minutes">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brain-hacking-tech-insiders-60-minutes/|title=What is "brain hacking"? Tech insiders on why you should care|last=Cooper|first=Anderson|date=2017-04-09|publisher=60 Minutes}}</ref> At a 2019 presentation in San Francisco,<Ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ0PnUzRh8U | title=How Technology is "Downgrading Humans" (Tristan Harris X Capgemini) | website=YouTube | date=3 February 2022 }}</ref> he coined the phrase "human downgrading" to describe an interconnected system of mutually reinforcing harms—addiction, distraction, isolation, polarization, fake news—that weakens human capacity, in order to capture human attention.<ref name="Thompson 2019">{{cite magazine |last1=Thompson |first1=Nicholas |title=Tech is Downgrading Humans |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tristan-harris-tech-is-downgrading-humans-time-to-fight-back/ |accessdate=16 August 2019}}</ref>
Harris and other CHT team members were interviewed for the film ''The Social Dilemma'', distributed by Netflix. In it he says, "Never before in history have fifty designers made decisions that would have an impact on two billion people"<ref>{{Cite news|last=Girish|first=Devika|date=2020-09-09|title='The Social Dilemma' Review: Unplug and Run|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/movies/the-social-dilemma-review.html|access-date=2020-10-13|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDL9z_lof3Q|title=Tristan Harris – Congressional Hearing|date=January 8, 2020}}</ref> about the harms of social media.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2021/04/27/facebook-youtube-twitter-senate-hearing-addictive-algorithms/4858416001/|title='We're trying to solve a problem here': Senate takes Facebook, YouTube, Twitter to task over 'addictive' algorithms|last=Collins|first=Terry|date=April 27, 2021|publisher=USA Today}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/450261-senators-spar-with-google-exec-over-its-influence-on-users|title=Senators spar with Google exec over use of 'persuasive technology'|last=Neidig|first=Harper|date=June 25, 2019|work=The Hill}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://sociable.co/big-tech/big-tech-addictive-business-model-makes-attention-vampires-distracts-urgent-threats-china-social-dilemma-star-testifies/|title=Big tech's addictive business model makes us 'attention vampires,' distracts from urgent threats like China: 'Social Dilemma' star testifies|last=Hinchliffe|first=Tim|date=April 27, 2021|publisher=The Sociable}}</ref>
CHT offers an online course on how to build humane and ethical technology, called ''The Foundations of Humane Technology'', which has received notable media coverage.<ref> [https://www.wired.com/story/foundations-humane-technology-online-course-silicon-valley/ Foundation's Humane Technology Online course for Silicon Valley], Wired magazine.</ref>
In recent years, Harris has expanded his focus from the attention economy to close the gap between the accelerating pace of technology and risks/externalities it creates, compared to the capacity of culture and its institutions to respond and adequately guard against them. Harris and CHT call this "wisdom gap."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RlhhRfREa0|title=Can We Close the Gap Between Humans and Technology? | Tristan Harris - SXSW 2022|date=18 April 2022 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref>
''The Atlantic'' stated in its November 2016 issue that "Harris is the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience."<ref name="Bosker 2018" /> Since then, he has been named on ''Time'' 100 Next Leaders Shaping 2021,<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/collection/time100-next-2021/5937599/tristan-harris/|title=2021 TIME100 Next: Tristan Harris|magazine=Time}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone''’s 25 People Changing the Future, and ''Fortune''’s 25 Ideas that Will Change the Future. He is also the co-host of the podcast, ''Your Undivided Attention''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Your Undivided Attention |url=https://www.humanetech.com/podcast |access-date=September 27, 2023 |website=Center for Humane Technology}}</ref>
Since 2023, Harris and the Center for Humane Technology have expanded their mission to address the societal risks associated with artificial intelligence. <ref name=":1">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/tristan_harris_why_ai_is_our_ultimate_test_and_greatest_invitation |title=Why AI is our ultimate test and greatest invitation |date=2025-04-30 |last=Harris |first=Tristan |language=en |access-date=2025-12-04 |via=www.ted.com}}</ref>
==Media and other activities== At the TEDTalk 2017 conference, Harris exposed how a handful of tech companies are able to manipulate billions of people to generate billions of dollars in ad revenue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/tristan_harris_how_a_handful_of_tech_companies_control_billions_of_minds_every_day|title=How a handful of tech companies control billions of minds every day|first=Tristan|last=Harris|date=July 26, 2017|via=www.ted.com}}</ref> He implored his peers to be more conscious and ethical in shaping the human spirit and human potential through technology. The foundation of his presentation was the Time Well Spent thesis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/17/16903844/time-well-spent-facebook-tristan-harris-mark-zuckerberg|title='Time well spent' is shaping up to be tech's next big debate|first=Casey|last=Newton|date=January 17, 2018|website=The Verge}}</ref> Time Well Spent was quickly adopted by tech industry giants Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Google through the addition of features designed to encourage users to monitor their time online.
Harris continued his advocacy for tech reform. In 2019, the ''New York Times'' published his op-ed, "Our Brains Are No Match for Our Technology."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/05/opinion/digital-technology-brain.html|title=Opinion | Our Brains Are No Match for Our Technology|first=Tristan|last=Harris|date=December 5, 2019|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> In the same year, Harris's thoughts were featured on ''Fortune''’s 25 Ideas that Will Shape the 2020s, alongside influential entrepreneurs such as Melinda Gates and Malala Yousafzai.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fortune.com/longform/ideas-shape-2020s-tech-economy-markets-ai-health-work-society/|title=25 Ideas That Will Shape the 2020s|website=Fortune}}</ref>
Harris has testified before the United States Congress on multiple occasions. In 2019, Harris gave testimony at the United States Senate's hearing on ''Optimizing for Engagement: Understanding the Use of Persuasive Technology on Internet Platforms''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQMuxNiYoz4|title=Tristan Harris - US Senate June 25, 2019|date=27 June 2019 |via=www.youtube.com}}</ref> In 2020, he testified in the House hearing on ''Americans at Risk: Manipulation and Deception in the Digital Age''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://energycommerce.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/hearing-on-americans-at-risk-manipulation-and-deception-in-the-digital|title=Hearing on "Americans at Risk: Manipulation and Deception in the Digital Age"|date=January 8, 2020|website=Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee}}</ref>
In 2021, Harris provided testimony to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law on data privacy and how algorithms are able to influence people's choices and effectively change their minds. In his testimony, Harris encouraged lawmakers and social media designers to reset their criteria for success. According to Harris, "Instead of evaluating whether my fellow Facebook, Twitter and YouTube panelists have improved their content policies or hired more content moderators, we should ask what would collectively constitute a 'humane' Western digital democratic infrastructure that would strengthen our capacity to meet these threats."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Harris%20Testimony.pdf|publisher=United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law Algorithms and Amplification: How Social Media Platforms’ Design Choices Shape Our Discourse and Our Minds|date=April 27, 2021|title=Written Statement of Tristan Harris|access-date=August 29, 2022}}</ref>
In October 2022, Harris joined the Council for Responsible Social Media project launched by Issue One to address the negative mental, civic, and public health impacts of social media in the United States co-chaired by former House Democratic Caucus Leader Dick Gephardt and former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey.<ref>{{cite news|last=Feiner|first=Lauren|date=October 12, 2022|title=Facebook whistleblower, former defense and intel officials form group to fix social media|publisher=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/12/council-for-responsible-social-media-features-haugen-gephardt-hagel-.html|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Council for Responsible Social Media – Issue One|website=issueone.org|url=https://issueone.org/projects/council-for-responsible-social-media/|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
In September 2024, Harris appeared as a guest on Oprah Winfrey's ABC special "AI and the Future of Us: An Oprah Winfrey Special.”<ref>{{Cite web |last=Porter |first=Rick |date=2024-08-29 |title=Oprah Winfrey Lines Up AI Heavy Hitters for ABC Special |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/oprah-winfrey-abc-special-ai-1235987248/ |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> In the special, Harris warned about the rapid pace of AI development, noting that "the problem with AI is that we don't get that time to adapt" compared to previous technologies like cars that took decades to add safety features.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-13 |title=Five things we learned from Oprah's AI special |url=https://www.newsweek.com/five-things-we-learned-oprah-ai-special-1953499 |access-date=2025-12-04 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref>
In April 2025, Harris delivered a TED Talk titled, “Why AI is our ultimate test and greatest invitation.”<ref name=":1" /> He calls on society to learn from the mistakes of social media’s rollout and confront the predictable dangers of reckless AI development, offering a “narrow path” where power is matched with responsibility, foresight and wisdom.
In August 2025, Harris was a featured guest on Real Time with Bill Maher, where he discussed AI risks including AI uncontrollability.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.hbomax.com/shows/real-time-with-bill-maher/s23/abc00905-6a23-46f6-a531-20214bb06f37/e21-august-1-2025-tristan-harris-james-kirchick-rep-jason-crow/69a01f73-09b9-43a7-943d-a846b01eeaf3 |title=Watch Real Time With Bill Maher {{!}} Season 23 Episode 21 {{!}} HBO Max |date=2003 |language=en-us |access-date=2025-12-04 |via=www.hbomax.com}}</ref>
In October 2025, Harris appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to discuss the societal impacts of AI and social media, including the dangers unregulated AI can cause for humanity and the workforce.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/the-daily-show/ |title=The Daily Show - Comedy Central - Watch on Paramount Plus |date=2025-12-03 |language=en |access-date=2025-12-04 |via=www.paramountplus.com}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [https://www.thehumanmovement.org/ The Human Movement] * Center for Humane Technology * Renée DiResta * Aza Raskin
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.tristanharris.com/}} * [https://www.thehumanmovement.org/ The Human Movement] * [https://www.humanetech.com/ The Center for Humane Technology]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Tristan}} Category:Stanford University alumni Category:Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Google people Category:Living people Category:American ethicists Category:Philosophers from California Category:21st-century American philosophers Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:American computer scientists Category:1984 births