Attention is our currency. Spend it wisely.

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by Lindsey Francy Mar 15, 2023 News
Attention is our currency. Spend it wisely.

The first noise I hear when a plane lands is a flood of notifications. Each passenger reaches for their phone, unlocks it, and waits for the notifications to arrive on their home screen. Offline spaces in the age of the internet are just as uncomfortable as they are. Individuals are immediately thrust back into the online world after the plane lands and the cellular connection is restored.

Digital rhythms control our lives because of the technological advancement of the 21st century. The majority of Americans report that they check their phone immediately when they wake up. The average person in the US checks their phone roughly once every four minutes.

It will take 44 years for us to look at these screens. Brain mapping shows similarities between internet dependency and drug use. Our attention spans have become commodified because of technology.

If you are not paying for the product, then you are the product according to the co- founder of the Center for Humane Technology. We have entered into the age of the attention economy, in which users' attention spans have become the gold standard of the modern tech industry.

In order to generate ad revenue, social media platforms, news websites and other online content providers are competing. There are a lot of new marketing and advertising techniques that are trying to grab the attention of consumers. Targeted ads are highly successful in grabbing users' attention, with platforms likeInstagram raking in an estimated $32 billion in annual advertising revenue. Technology companies make money when users become detached from reality.

The advent of the attention economy has made internet users both a commodity and a consumer. Hundreds of companies and search engines collect, sell, and store our data when we log on to a device. This data is used to make users purchase more products and spend more time on the internet.

There is a wedge between internet users and reality. Individuals become out of touch with societal issues as they become immersed in product advertisements and celebrity dramas. The outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as multiple human rights protests in Iran, took place in the year 2022. " Wordle" was the top searched for in the year 2022.

The ability to engage with complex issues is undermined by the prioritization of superficial entertainment. 40% of the population reported that they felt there was disproportionate coverage of celebrity news over real issues.

We risk losing touch with core societal values if this trend continues. As fundamental world problems become overshadowed and obscured by waves of superficial information, attention-seeking and profit driven behavior becomes destructive.

It is time for us to take responsibility for our online engagement habits and realize the impact that our digital footprints have on our lives. It is important that we take strides towards shaping a more positive and in-touch online experience, from creating screen time limitations, to consciously and intentionally choosing which content we engage and interact with. As buyers, it's our responsibility to be aware of how we spend our attention in the digital world.

Tate Moyer is based in Los Angeles. She wrote about the dangers of social media use. Her email is moyert@umch.edu.