The Pope warns young people of "social networks" and "algorithms" that use them for "market research"

LISBON, Aug. 3 (EUROPA PRESS) - Pope Francis invited young people this Thursday, at the reception ceremony for World Youth Day, to be "attentive" so as not to be deceived by what is hidden behind "social networks" and "algorithms", which use them for "market research"; and he has assured them that God loves them "as they are" and that "in the Church there is room for everyone".

"Your name is known, it appears on social networks, it is elaborated by algorithms that associate tastes and preferences with it, but this does not question your uniqueness but your usefulness for market studies," the Pontiff warned.

Thus, he has warned of the "wolves" who "hide behind smiles of false goodness saying that they know who you are but that they do not love you", who "insinuate that they believe in you and promise you that you will become someone and then leave you alone when they don't care about you anymore." "They are the illusions of the virtual and we must be careful not to be fooled," she remarked.

In his third WYD speech, at the reception ceremony that took place in Eduardo VII Park, the Pontiff also wanted to insist on a message that he already underlined this Thursday: that in the Church there is room "for everyone".

"I would like to be clear with you that you are allergic to falsehood, in the Church there is room for everyone, in the Church no one is superfluous, no one is superfluous, just as we are", he emphasized, encouraging all the young people present to exclaim in their respective languages ​​in unison the word "all".

In this sense, Francis has insisted that "the Lord does not point with his finger but opens his arms" and "never closes the door" but "welcomes".

As he has specified, the Church is not "the community of the best". "We are all sinners, but we are called as we are, with our problems, limitations, with our joy and our desire to be better and to succeed," she added.

As he has indicated, "no one is a Christian by chance" because all were "called" by their "name". "We are loved as we are without makeup," she has insisted.

The ceremony did not lack dances, fado and the parade of flags from all the countries participating in WYD. In addition, a group of young people have read extracts from the letters that young people have sent to the Pontiff.