Cal
Newport, an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University,
challenged readers of his Study Hacks blog (dedicated to exploring “how to
perform productive, valuable, and meaningful work in an increasingly distracted
digital age”) to cut out all digital interaction that wasn’t crucial to their
job or personal/family life for the month of January. After that, they could
gradually resume interactions that still seemed to have value.
Of
the almost 2,000 people who said they’d try the unplugging experiment, many reported exploring new hobbies, as well as discovering just how dependent
they’d let themselves become on phone apps and websites.
Newport’s
challenge is part of a growing debate on the role social media and digital
technology play in our lives and their impact on society. At the beginning of
the year, the investment management firm Jana Partners LLC and the California
State Teachers’ Retirement System sent a letter to Apple, asking the tech giant
to consider the “unintentional negative consequences” its products may be
having on children and teenagers. They recommended forming a panel of experts
to study the issue, more funding for research on it, and better parental
controls for Apple devices.
While
“technology addiction” isn’t yet an officially sanctioned diagnosis in the
U.S., brain-imaging studies and other research is finding evidence that overuse
of electronic devices can present problems for young people and their
developing brains. Some in the treatment community view the issue as a matter
of habit rather than addiction, but even without scientific consensus or official
recognition, more and more facilities and programs are being established to help
children and teens deal with digital or social media dependence.
As
digital media becomes increasingly embedded in education, schools and
instructors will need to model and encourage healthier relationships with
technology.
If
evidence of real harm accumulates and more people cut back in favor of “digital
minimalism,” the tech industry and social media platforms may need to
re-examine their business models. As noted by NPR, “as long as these companies
make their money from advertising, they will have incentive to try to design
products that maximize the time you spend using them, whether or not it makes
your life better.”
Changes
may already be emerging, as evidenced by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s New
Year’s resolution to amend many of his platform’s flaws. As a first step, new
standards this year mean that Facebook users will now see more content from
friends, family, and groups in their News Feed and less from companies, brands,
and media. Posts that facilitate more meaningful social interactions will be
encouraged, and that shift will be expanded across all of Facebook’s products
over time.
