A Call for Accountability from Tech Leaders

Dreams Are Dying—And Technology Is to Blame

Technology was supposed to open doors, to connect us, to empower us. Instead, it has become a prison—one that is stealing childhood, breaking minds, and leaving millions of kids feeling empty, anxious, and hopeless.

Over 2 million kids attempted suicide last year alone. That’s not just a crisis—it’s a wake-up call.

We’re watching an entire generation lose their ability to dream because of how technology is shaping their reality.

• Social media is manipulating their emotions for profit.
• Mindless entertainment is stealing their time and purpose.
• Kids are losing themselves to algorithms that don’t care about their future.

The result? A generation that feels lost, disconnected, and powerless. Are the tech giants responsible? They’re too busy chasing profit to care.

It’s time to call them out.

How Technology is Destroying Childhood

We’ve been told that technology is just a tool—that it’s all about how we use it. But that’s a lie.

1. The Addiction Economy

Tech companies don’t make money when we’re happy, fulfilled, or thriving. They make money when we’re hooked.

Social media platforms are designed to exploit human psychology. They:

❌ Keep kids trapped in dopamine loops—like slot machines in their pockets.
❌ Push content that fuels insecurity—because self-doubt keeps people engaged.
❌ Use manipulative algorithms—so kids stay online longer, even if it makes them miserable.

A 2023 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that kids who spend just three hours a day on social media double their risk of depression and anxiety. And yet, these companies continue to market their platforms to children—knowing full well the damage they cause.

It’s not an accident. It’s the business model.

2. The Death of Imagination

There was a time when kids dreamed of being astronauts, inventors, and heroes. Now, their biggest dream? Going viral.

Instead of creating, they consume.
Instead of exploring, they scroll.
Instead of imagining a better world, they chase likes, follows, and approval from strangers.

We’ve replaced childhood curiosity with endless distraction.

The cost?

• A decline in creativity—because screens do the thinking for them.
• A loss of purpose—because their worth is measured in engagement, not ideas.
• A future without problem-solvers—because today’s kids are being conditioned to consume, not create.

And tech companies? They built this reality.

3. A Mental Health Pandemic Driven by Screens

It’s not just about distraction—it’s about despair.

📉 Depression rates among kids have doubled in the past decade.
💔 Suicidal thoughts among 13 to 17-year-olds are at an all-time high.
🚨 Even children as young as 10 years old are struggling with self-worth.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, has warned:

“There is growing evidence that social media use is associated with harm to young people’s mental health.”

So why are tech leaders ignoring this crisis? Because fixing it would mean making less money.

They profit from fear, comparison, and addiction. They won’t stop unless we make them.

We Need a Movement to Hold Tech Leaders Accountable

Enough is enough. If these companies won’t take responsibility, we will force them to.

Our Demands

📢 End the Addiction Economy – No more designing apps to hijack kids’ attention.
📢 Remove Harmful Algorithms – Stop feeding kids depression, insecurity, and hopelessness.
📢 Put Purpose Over Profit – Invest in technology that empowers, not enslaves.

These platforms shape reality for billions of children. And right now, they are shaping a future where kids are more anxious, more hopeless, and more lost than ever before.

That is unacceptable.

Join the Open Doors Movement: A Fight for Our Children’s Future

The Open Doors Movement is about taking back control—about making sure technology serves us, not the other way around.

It’s time to:
✅ Expose the truth – The harm being done by Big Tech can’t stay hidden.
✅ Demand change – No more excuses. We need real solutions now.
✅ Give kids their dreams back – Because a future without dreams is no future at all.

What You Can Do Right Now

1️⃣ Talk to the kids in your life.
Ask them about their dreams. Help them see their worth beyond social media. Use the Dream Guide Workbook to help you be their champion.
2️⃣ Push back against the algorithms. Encourage them to participate in the Open Doors Challenge. Fill the internet with positive content talking about dreams. Make dreams viral! Prioritize real-world experiences over digital ones.
3️⃣ Support the movement. Speak up. Sign our petition. Share this message. Demand accountability.

Every child deserves the freedom to dream, to imagine, to build a future they believe in.

Right now, Big Tech is taking that away.

And we’re here to take it back.

Join us. Fight back. Open doors to a future where kids can dream again.

Sources & References:

📌 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Youth Suicide Trends
📌 JAMA Pediatrics (2023) – Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health
📌 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – Youth Mental Health Statistics
📌 U.S. Surgeon General Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health
📌 Common Sense Media – The Impact of Screen Time on Children