Writing about spending a day in the digital world doesn’t feel particularly challenging – I suppose the reason is that I can’t remember the last day I didn’t visit it. Even though the amount of time I am online varies from day to day, I always find myself back there.
Almost all my mornings start thanks to digital technology – my phone rings with the same awful tune that used to drag me out of bed at 6 am back in high school. After my sleep gets interrupted, I either open my eyes and reach for my phone or choose the more dangerous path – go back to sleep for “five more minutes”. Either way, whenever I do decide to start my day – I grab my phone. Thinking about it now, I don’t really give myself a moment’s break to look at the ceiling or take in my surroundings after waking up – It’s almost as if I choose to engage with the digital world before I even give myself a chance to interact with the real one. This concept feels both strange and unsettling, yet it’s easily justifiable. The digital world offers something that the real world can’t – connections with people who aren’t physically present. Typically, in the mornings I see a notification from my dad who has sent me a quick good morning text from back home (Bulgaria), and some voice messages from my best friend (who’s studying in New York) recounting something exciting that happened to her the night before. Safe to conclude that in a sense rather than alienating me from relationships, the digital world actually helps me stay connected with those who are far away.
My digital day of course isn’t limited to simply chatting with people. Entertainment plays a major role too. There’s nothing I enjoy more than putting on a good podcast or a good YouTube video (I have linked some personal favourites of the sort) while I go about my daily tasks. Even when I’m not actively staring at a screen, the digital world is present in my life – often through my earbuds – and I love it. All that makes it easy to marvel at how technology enriches my life and keeps me both entertained and connected.
Of course, like everything else in this world, the digital has its downsides. There have long been discussions about the ethical implications of using social media. It feels like the line of a healthy amount of digital use gets overstepped a little too often by both adults and children. As much as I hate to admit it, from time to time I personally feel like the lure of social media and all this digital content is stronger than me and tempts me to consume it.
A significant point of concern connected to excessive use of social media (specifically by young people) emerged last year (2023) – a high-profile lawsuit involving Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Filed by a coalition of 41 states and the District of Columbia, the lawsuit accuses Meta of deliberately designing its platforms to induce compulsive use among young users.
In the lawsuit, the states expressed a concern that “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage and ultimately ensnare youth and teens”. The company’s motives are, of course, primarily profit-driven, since more clicks and overall engagement brings more money.
But how are they exactly manipulating their younger audience?
As written in an article for The New York Times written by Matt Richtel, Letita James (the contemporary attourney general for NY) shares that “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem. (…) Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable”.
The magnetic allure of social media seems to be deeply rooted in its design. Experts, such as psychologist David Greenfield, highlight the concept of “intermittent reinforcement” similar to the unpredictable nature of a slot machine. This tactic creates a constant anticipation of rewards, making it challenging for users to disengage. Greenfield explains, “Just like a slot machine… users are beckoned with lights and sounds but, even more powerful, information and reward tailored to a user’s interests and tastes”.
In response to the lawsuit, Meta has defended its practices, stating that they have made numerous efforts to create a safer online environment for young users. The company’s statement reflects their disappointment with the lawsuit, suggesting that they would prefer a collaboration which could lead to establishing clearer age-appropriate standards.
Of course, although it is easier said than done, the solution to the problem would be a well-balanced relationship with these social media sites. That relationship however is hard to achieve (especially for young people) and companies like Meta seem to be quite unhelpful when it comes to it. It is safe to conclude that the internet, when used effectively, offers incredible benefits, including fostering connections and providing valuable information. However, as Dr. Greenfield points out, “the internet is a giant hypodermic, and the content… are the psychoactive drugs”.
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