On Tech, Status, Desire & Profit
Steven Reiss developed the theory of "16 Basic Desires" that guide nearly all human behavior. For example, if you are driven by the need for social status, you may be more susceptible to paying for high-status indicators (even if they are nothing more than symbols that offer little value to your experience as a customer).
What people value is not my business. Conflating “social status” with online safety & trust (verification) is where things get dangerous, IMO