Key Takeaways
- Issam Hijazi spoke at Web Summit Qatar, critiquing Big Tech for prioritizing profit over ethics and user well-being.
- He accused major platforms of enabling harm and failing to take responsibility for their technologies’ impacts on society.
- Hijazi highlighted issues like user addiction, data exploitation, and neglect of mental health in technology design.
- He called for a technology ecosystem focused on human benefit, dignity, and ethical principles.
- Hijazi’s remarks sparked discussions on the need for alternative technology development models at the summit.
Doha, Qatar — During a candid and confrontational appearance on Centre Stage at Web Summit Qatar, Issam Hijazi, Founder and CEO of UpScrolled, delivered a sharp critique of major technology companies, questioning their ethical priorities and calling for platforms designed to genuinely serve humanity rather than profit alone. Notably, Issam Hijazi spoke at Web Summit Qatar and his remarks resonated with many in the tech industry.
“They’re not really creating something for humanity,” Hijazi said. “They’re creating something to generate more revenue.”
A Direct Challenge to Big Tech’s Ethical Framework
In his remarks, Hijazi argued that over the past several years, large technology companies have demonstrated a consistent prioritization of profit over ethics, accountability, and user well-being.
Hijazi stated that major platforms have enabled harmful outcomes through the technologies they provide, accusing them of failing to take responsibility for how their tools are used by governments and institutions.
“I think Big Tech throughout the last couple of years have proven that they’re not really in it for being ethical,” he said, pointing to global conflicts as examples where technology, in his view, has contributed to real-world harm.
Data, Mental Health, and Platform Design
Beyond geopolitics, Hijazi also criticized Big Tech from a consumer perspective, arguing that user data and mental health are routinely sacrificed in pursuit of engagement and revenue.
According to Hijazi, many platforms are:
- Designed to maximize addiction and screen time
- Willing to sell user data when profitable
- Largely indifferent to the mental health impact of their products
“They don’t care about your well-being,” he said. “They will design something just to keep you addicted to use that platform as long as it’s profitable for them.”
A Call for Technology That Serves People
Hijazi positioned his critique as a call to action for a different kind of technology ecosystem — one where platforms are built with human benefit, dignity, and ethics as core design principles, not afterthoughts.
“To sum it all up,” he said, “they’re not really creating something for humanity. They’re creating something to generate more revenue and profit, without prioritizing what’s good for people.”
Web Summit Qatar as a Forum for Difficult Conversations
Hijazi’s remarks sparked discussion across the summit floor, reflecting Web Summit Qatar’s role as a platform where uncomfortable but necessary conversations about technology’s impact on society are openly aired.
As global scrutiny of Big Tech intensifies — around ethics, governance, AI, data privacy, and platform responsibility — voices like Hijazi’s highlight the growing demand for alternative models of technology development.
About UpScrolled
UpScrolled is a technology company focused on building digital platforms that prioritize human well-being, ethical design, and responsible data practices. The company positions itself as part of a new generation of tech startups challenging traditional engagement- and profit-first models.
About Web Summit Qatar
Web Summit Qatar is part of the global Web Summit series, one of the world’s leading technology conference platforms. Hosted annually in Doha, the summit brings together founders, investors, enterprises, policymakers, and media to explore how technology is reshaping society, economics, and global power structures.
Event Details
📍 Web Summit Qatar
📅 February 1–4, 2026
📍 Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC)
📍 Doha, Qatar