Tim Cook warns about ‘people using technology too much’

A warning against excessive use of technology has come from an unexpected source: the CEO of the biggest tech company in the world.

Apple boss Tim Cook recently spoke to Bustle magazine about the company’s support for Shine, an app designed to combat the stigma surrounding mental illness. The discussion led from there to the sometimes unhealthily compulsive nature of technology and the internet, and Cook expressed concerns relating to this area.

“I’ve always thought that technology should serve humanity and not the other way around,” he explained. “And I always worried about people using technology too much. And so, we came out with Screen Time to try to give people a true reading of the amount of time they’re really spending on their devices because generally it’s a lot more than they say.”

Cook also said that prolonged use of social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok surrounds users with negativity. He wants Apple customers “to do things with their devices, like the photography exhibit that we both enjoyed, or connecting with family and friends with FaceTime. Not endless, mindless scrolling.”

This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation (using DeepL) and additional reporting by David Price.