In his book "Trust Me, I'm Lying," Ryan Holiday discusses the role of Facebook employees who focus on data to manipulate user behavior. Their primary goal is to influence emotions and actions, aiming to encourage users to engage more deeply with content. This includes activities like clicking on stories and ads, ultimately increasing their time spent on the platform.

Holiday critiques the strategies employed by these data teams at Facebook, emphasizing that the constant adjustment of algorithms and content presentation is designed to enhance user engagement. This often results in a cycle where users are subconsciously influenced to participate more actively in the online ecosystem, driven by targeted emotional appeals.