You might also be aware that all this is delivered by means of “persuasive design”—an umbrella term for an armory of psychological techniques borrowed directly from the designers of casino slot machines, for the express purpose of encouraging compulsive behavior. One example among hundreds is the ubiquitous drag-down-to-refresh gesture, which keeps... See more

We can explore the ways in which our attention is generated, manipulated, valued and degraded. Sometimes attention might simply be a lens through which to read the events of the moment. But it can also force us toward a better understanding of how our minds work or how we value our time and the time of others. Perhaps, just by acknowledging its... See more

Attention has become a currency. Every platform, ad, and algorithm is designed to compete for it. Not just to catch our eye, but to keep it. And they’re really, really good at it.

This loss of agency over our own attention that many of us are experiencing is not about willpower. It’s about neuroscience: