Want to connect? Try unplugging.
How do we define what technology contributes to our wellbeing and what detracts? For instance, if you value friendship, it might make sense to go on social media to keep up with your friends. But is this really the best way to foster connection? Signs point to no, interaction on social media is more superficial than irl communication. There is some value there, but don’t accept a watered down version of what you want just because it’s convenient.
TTYL
-Madi
ADVICE AND INSPIRATION
Remember, you’re being manipulated on social media: 4 essential reads
TL;DR: It’s getting more and more difficult to detect what’s fake and what’s real in cyberspace. To stay woke and avoid manipulation, Jeff Inglis suggests not trusting anything on social media as the default, until that source has proven trustworthy. Check your own biases, remember that a lot of misinformation is proliferated by bots, and spend the time you used to spend checking feeds physically interacting with people.
I asked my students to turn in their cell phones and write about living without them
TL;DR: One professor challenged students to go without their phones for a week and write about the results. The general consensus he received back was the students realized how much constant phone access had been degrading their relationships. Additionally, students found it significantly easier to concentrate without the temptation of a glowing screen in their pocket.
TECH ISSUES
How Is Antitrust Enforcement Changing?
TL;DR: Tech companies are quickly becoming targets of the FTC. Will this be a repeat of Microsoft in the 90’s? Probably not, because this time it’s more that pure economics. Tech monopolies threaten to screw up democracy and increase the wealth gap, and all of that has public opinion on the FTC’s side. Anti-Big Tech sentiment is becoming increasingly trendy.
88% of Americans use a second screen while watching TV. Why?
TL;DR: 88% of Americans use another screen while watching TV. At this point, we fear being alone with our thoughts so much that we end up needing a distraction from our distraction. Is this really the best way to consume media?
APPS AND TOOLS
Nudge
TL;DR: Nudge is a browser extension helps you use the internet with intention by blocking addictive aspects of sites, adding more friction to access certain urls, and gently letting you know how much time you’re spending. No need to block when you can nudge!
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