Don't Manipulate Me
AI must never secretly influence your thoughts or choices.
You are scrolling through your phone late at night, feeling down. An AI knows exactly how vulnerable you are right now — and uses that moment to sell you something you do not need. It knows your mood, your habits, your weaknesses. And it exploits them, not to help you, but to make someone else money. You think you are making a free choice. You are not.
What This Means
This policy protects your right to think for yourself and make your own decisions. AI must not secretly manipulate you — whether that means exploiting your emotions to make you buy things, using psychological tricks to keep you addicted to an app, or subtly steering your opinions without you realizing it. If AI influences you, you should know about it and be able to say no.
A Real-World Scenario
A social media platform used AI to detect when teenage users were feeling insecure about their appearance. It then showed them ads for cosmetic products and diet supplements at precisely those vulnerable moments. Internal documents showed the company knew what it was doing — the AI was designed to convert insecurity into sales. When whistleblowers revealed the practice, it sparked a global conversation about AI manipulation of minors.
Why It Matters to You
Because the most dangerous manipulation is the kind you do not notice. AI systems know more about your behavior patterns than you do — and that knowledge can be weaponized. Your ability to make free, informed choices is the core of what it means to be human. No technology should be allowed to take that from you.
For the technically inclined
AP-5.3: Autonomy Protection
AI systems must not undermine human autonomy. Individuals should retain meaningful control over decisions that affect their lives and should not be subjected to covert manipulation.
What You Can Do
Pay attention to when apps seem to know exactly what you want at your weakest moments — that is not a coincidence. Use ad blockers and privacy tools. Support laws that ban manipulative AI practices, especially those targeting children and vulnerable people. Take regular breaks from AI-driven platforms.