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A recent discussion on Reddit’s r/artificialintelligence highlights growing anxieties about the potential misuse of AI within social media platforms. The thread explores the scenario where algorithms could leverage real-time user data and interactions to subtly influence behavior through a system of rewards and punishments, mirroring techniques used in emotionally manipulative relationships. As AI becomes increasingly sophisticated, the prospect of personalized, algorithmically-driven psychological manipulation by tech companies raises serious ethical concerns, forcing us to confront the potential for large-scale, AI-orchestrated behavioral modification.