Any solution that requires individuals to “just” do something that’s contrary to their nature is not a solution.

No society has ever solved a serious problem by “just” doing something on an individual scale en masse.

Think about what you’re suggesting. Individual action that acts like coordinated action. It’s impossible at scale. It’s a total contradiction.

(This is not even touching on the fact that the vast majority of oil use and pollution comes from military, energy, and industrial uses, not individual consumers.)

This does not imply that every problem can or even should be solved, but you’re not going to solve it this way.

> You can only change your own habits

Rather like smoking, I can only change my own habits (have never smoked) but that won't prevent me from being harmed by other people's habits.

Even if I don't use Facebook, I can be harmed by Facebook voters.

Out of interest, would you have made this argument with respect to Big Tobacco back in the day? In my view surveillance-based behavioural recommendation engines belong very much in the same category.

Meta could help the situation, for instance by providing fact-checking tools and banning rage-bait creators.

Instead they have removed those tools and are paying these creators. So it's not just consumers to blame here.

I'm not holding my breath for masses to become informed, rational, responsible and balanced overall.

And why would the responsibility lie solely on consumers to act perfectly