Dean McCoubrey<\/strong><\/em>, co-founder of Humaine and founder of MySociaLife, highlights how social media has shaped the way we think, feel, and connect\u2014both reflecting and manipulating human behaviour.\u00a0He said: \u201cWe as humans, for a long time, have been storytellers. Going back hundreds of years, we\u2019ve enjoyed sitting around the fire, sharing stories, educating people, and talking. But over time, technology changed how we do that. The introduction of cameras, video, and eventually social media made storytelling more instant, more visual, and\u2014importantly\u2014more rewarding.\u201d<\/p>\nIt all began when Facebook introduced the \u2018like\u2019 button. McCoubrey argues that that \u2018reward\u2019 is at the heart of what makes social media so addictive. \u201cFacebook realised that acknowledging somebody\u2019s comment or photograph was something people wanted. And that was actually, to be honest with you, the beginning of the dopamine experiment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Social media platforms, whether knowingly or not in the beginning, have perfected the art of triggering small but frequent dopamine hits\u2014through likes, shares, comments, and endless scrolling. \u201cAnd social media companies saw that validating people\u2014recognising and approving their posts\u2014meant they kept coming back for more,\u201d he added. Social media communities, online gaming platforms, and group interactions all tap into this natural human craving for connection.<\/p>\n
This \u201cdopamine-driven experiment,\u201d as McCoubrey calls it, has shaped an entire generation\u2019s relationship with technology, and now, as artificial intelligence takes center stage, the question is: How much control are we really willing to hand over?<\/p>\n
He suggests that social media isn\u2019t just a tool\u2014it\u2019s a mirror. A reflection of our beliefs, biases, and even unresolved traumas. Just like an operating system, our minds are constantly being updated and shaped. \u201cI tell children, \u2018Do you understand iOS or Android? Do you know that your phone needs updates? Well, you are also building your own operating system\u2014Anita 1.0, Anita 3.0\u2014over time.\u2019 We install apps along the way, like kindness, generosity, or resilience. But we also accumulate experiences of pain, fear, or insecurity. And whether we realise it or not, those experiences get triggered in certain situations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
McCoubrey notes that we see it in adults who overreact to things their children do. \u201cThey forget that, in many ways, they behaved the same way as teenagers\u2014just without smartphones recording it. But when they see something online that touches a nerve, they react emotionally rather than rationally. It\u2019s because they\u2019re being triggered without realising it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He believes the cost of what we consume can be as high as our physical health, as your perspective, what you get fed, is partially contributing to your view of the world.” He highlighted the significant role media plays in shaping beliefs\u2014whether it’s about religion, culture, or other factors. He is concerned about the rise of fake content created using AI tools. \u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is people using AI to create fake content, driven by agendas\u2014whether it’s for followers, money, or power,\u201d he said. The entry point for content creation is now lower than ever, making it easier for those without a conscience to contribute to the “shadow side” of media. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have a conscience, you\u2019re going to be a contributor to more of that shadow side,\u201d he warns.<\/p>\n
He sees this as a growing issue that contributes to more trouble, trauma, and skewed perspectives, which he believes is leading to a dire situation. \u201cThe more people that contribute to that shadow side creates more trouble, more trauma,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The million-dollar question is, how do we regain control?<\/strong><\/p>\nMcCoubrey questions that if you knew that social media was going to show you a mix of funny, entertaining, and educational content\u2014but also provocative and disturbing content\u2014would you be able to take a step back and say, \u2018Hold on. That nearly triggered me. Would you be able to pause, take a deep breath, and realise that your emotional response is being played with?<\/p>\n
The problem, he points out, is that social media isn\u2019t designed to encourage those moments of reflection. \u201cYou are constantly being fed content that provokes a reaction and the moment you engage with it, it signals to the algorithm to give you more of the same.\u201d This is how people end up in echo chambers, trapped in cycles of outrage, or addicted to certain types of content without even realising it, which operates similarly to gambling, where you are given a taste of winning and keep going back for more.<\/p>\n
McCoubrey suggests that the key to breaking free from this cycle is awareness<\/strong>. He advises users to pause and acknowledge when content triggers an emotional reaction. \u201cTell the platform: \u2018I don\u2019t want to see this.\u2019 Click \u2018not interested.\u2019 Curate your feed consciously. Because if you don\u2019t, the algorithm will do it for you\u2014and it doesn\u2019t always have your best interests in mind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\nDrawing a parallel between AI and the rapid spread of smartphones, he expressed concern over the lack of preparation. \u201cWe’re seeing kids as young as eight getting smartphones, and now AI is on the rise. We have the chance to make sure kids are using it in a way that\u2019s responsible and beneficial,\u201d he said. He also believes AI could help fill the gaps where there\u2019s a lack of resources in Education but stresses the need to educate children on how to use it correctly and effectively.<\/p>\n
Although optimistic, McCoubrey does not shy away from addressing the risks that come with AI, cautioning that AI can be misused to manipulate people. \u201cNow, creating content with a hidden agenda is so easy. It\u2019s all out there\u2014people are using AI to make fake content, and that can lead to misinformation and more manipulation,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n
He further emphasised the importance of collective responsibility. \u201cWe\u2019re already in a relationship with AI, whether we like it or not. The real question is, how do we use it? We can\u2019t just ignore it or deny it. We need to be aware of how it affects us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As AI continues to evolve, McCoubrey\u2019s message is clear: the choices we make today will shape the impact it has on tomorrow. \u201cWe can teach the right skills, set the right example, and use AI to improve our world,\u201d he said. But he stresses that it starts with being aware, being critical of what we consume, and teaching the next generation to do the same.<\/p>\n
LISTEN<\/strong> to the full interview with Muallimah Annisa Essack and Dean McCoubrey<\/em><\/strong>, co-founder of Humaine and founder of MySociaLife, here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za 7 February 2025 |15:00 CAT 5 min read In the early days of social media, platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were seen as tools for connection\u2014bringing people together, sharing moments, and telling stories. However, according to experts, what started as a simple way to engage has evolved into something much […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":94924,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/Middle-East-Report-14.png?fit=1080%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pc0QIf-oH0","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-29 20:38:30","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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