Organizations Filed Purposes:
Our mission is to realign technology with humanity.
Launched in 2018 by world-renowned former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris and deeply concerned tech ex-insiders, the Center for Humane Technology (CHT) is an independent nonprofit organization based in San Francisco whose mission is to realign technology with humanity. We use a combination of thought leadership, External Pressure (media and policy), and Internal Pressure (mobilization of technologists as advocates, and product inspiration) to create market demand and momentum for products and services based on humane technology principles. CHTs ultimate aim is to drive a comprehensive shift toward humane technology by changing the way technologists think about their work and how they build products.
CHTs work is grounded in the principles of complex systems-level change: that the best way to create long-term change in an industry is by changing the mindset or paradigm out of which the system its goals, power structure, rules, its culture arises (Donella Meadows, 1997). In the context of Humane Technology, its critical though not sufficient to create products designed to minimize screen time, or to revamp a business model based on a new privacy law or anti-trust ruling. We must solve the problem of human downgrading the interconnected, systemic issue composed of tech addiction, social isolation, outrage, misinformation, political polarization, and more based on its root diagnosis: todays persuasive technology is built on an extractive attention economy that pits increasingly invasive technology against our easily exploitable human vulnerabilities. Meaningful and comprehensive change requires a massive cultural awakening and a reimagining of the relationship between technology and humans one that ergonomically aligns with our innate human limits.CHT uses a combination of thought leadership, media and policy pressure, mobilization of technologists as advocates, and product inspiration to create market demand and momentum for products and services based on humane technology principles. CHTs Thought Leadership: at the highest levels of influence, we introduce new concepts and language (including the phrase Time Well Spent, which is now used widely even by Facebook) to articulate problems and shape solutions for human downgrading. CHTs External Pressure: we run mass media campaigns reaching hundreds of millions of people, creating a unified agenda and the cultural conditions in which lasting change can occur. We educate global heads of state and policymakers to advance legislation aimed at upending the business model of the extractive attention economy. CHTs Internal Pressure: we mobilize influential technologists to advocate for humane technology within their companies. We collaborate directly with tech leaders and technologists through closed door convenings to advance culture and product change within the most influential companies. Our ultimate aim is to drive a comprehensive shift in culture, product, policies, business models, and governance structures toward humane technology by changing the way technologists think about their work and how they build products.
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| Tristan Harris | President/ED | 40 | $168,661 |
| Pemith Randima Fernando | COO | 40 | $137,900 |
| Alexander Parakilas | Chief Strat Off | 40 | $102,879 |
| Jane Chen | Board Member | 2 | $0 |
| Nick Allen | Treasurer | 2 | $0 |
| Ben Rattray | Chair/Secretary | 2 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202011279349301246_public.xml