Let’s not beat around the bush. For a long time, my relationship with social media has been, to put it mildly, antagonistic. I've gone to great lengths to avoid it and any publicity, even asking Google to scrub images and articles about me from the internet. I've cherished my anonymity like a rare, delicate artifact.

Why such aversion? Because I’ve seen the other side.

Through the running of creative agencies Stickee and Creamos, I’ve had the privilege, and sometimes the unfortunate experience, of working closely with famous individuals. I’ve witnessed, firsthand, the devastating harm that exposure, whether positive or negative, successful or not, can inflict on a person's life. The relentless scrutiny, the loss of privacy, the distortion of reality; it's a profound, often brutal, experience. I harboured a very real, visceral fear of that for myself.

And yes, I’ve had to check in with myself on this. Is some of it just insecurity? A fear of judgment? A perfectionist’s dread of putting something out there that isn’t absolutely flawless? Probably. There’s truth in that. But the deeper, more profound truth, the 90% truth, is that I am actively trying to manage my own extreme behaviours, which are so often in line with my ADHD. The thought of engaging with these platforms, of opening myself up to that constant, unpredictable stimulation and potential for disregulation, has been a significant barrier.

But here's the thing: the world is getting worse. It’s becoming more divisive, more consumed by post-truth narratives, more angry and the harm inflicted by poorly designed, ethically bankrupt technology is becoming more apparent every single day. Staying silent, remaining hidden, feels increasingly irresponsible. There is no place in this world now to lead by an example thats off-the-grid. If I'm not out there, if I'm not actively participating in the conversation, then I'm not affecting change. And change, positive change, is why I started Good add Ventures.

This is why, despite my very real and deeply ingrained fears, I am deciding to put myself out there. This feels, to me, like a profound, almost dangerous, decision. I truly see it like deciding to take and share drugs with everyone I care about understanding the immense power, the potential for harm, and the desperate need for responsible handling.

So, for the greater good of our cause, to raise awareness of the harms of current tech, and to build ethical tech products that actively reverse these trends, I am stepping into the arena.

To mitigate this very personal challenge, and to ensure we act with the utmost responsibility, I am creating a Code of Ethics for the use of social media for myself, our team, and our partners which of course I am going to publicly share for any would-be content creator to use. This isn't just about my safety; it's about setting a standard for how we engage, ensuring we remain as safe and as effective as possible, without succumbing to the very issues we aim to fight.

This isn't easy. It's terrifying. But it’s necessary. And I hope, by being transparent about my fears about this, we can foster a more authentic, and ultimately, a more impactful dialogue.