Ben Shapiro, the influential conservative commentator and Daily Wire co-founder, has issued a desperate plea for Americans to drastically reduce their time on X, warning that its powerful algorithms are actively tearing the country apart. In recent statements, Shapiro expressed deep alarm over how people increasingly source their information from these platforms, urging citizens to rely far less on their phones and step away from the constant scroll. He emphasized that excessive engagement with social media feeds leaves users more detached from reality than ever before, as algorithms prioritize divisive, engagement-driven content that fuels polarization and erodes national unity.
Shapiro’s concerns center on the way algorithms shape what users see, often amplifying outrage and misinformation while trapping people in bubbles that distort their understanding of the world. He argued that most of what appears online bears little connection to actual reality, making heavy users less informed despite feeling constantly connected. This call to log off comes from a figure who has built a massive audience through digital media, yet he now insists that reclaiming time away from screens is essential for preserving sanity and societal cohesion in an increasingly fractured America.
The irony is undeniable: Ben Shapiro’s explosive popularity exploded precisely because of directed algorithmic tweaks that promoted his content to millions of unsuspecting everyday Americans on platforms like early Facebook and YouTube. No one can credibly explain his rise to prominence without acknowledging this targeted amplification. The internet, originally developed by DARPA as a tool of war, excels at deploying psyop-level messaging to influence populations. Now that Shapiro and his supporters have lost control of these technologies—with shifts in ownership and algorithms no longer favoring their narrative—they are suddenly begging the public to abandon phones as a source of information.