What we can do about the “damage being done” by social media
In a December 2017 Axios interview, former Facebook executive Sean Parker speculated about the possible damage social media is “doing to our children’s brains,” and that the creators of the most popular platforms knew what they were building. That it would be so compelling it would feel addictive. That they were, ultimately, messing with the five inches between our ears.
You may have seen the interview: It was passed around on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc. Since then, others have shared similar messages with the press. So here are the juiciest bits from the interview that started it all and our 👊 you’ve-got-this 💪 responses:
“The thought process that went into building these applications, Facebook being the first of them, … was all about: ‘How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?'”
Parents, teachers, role models — we must show younger kids, older kids, teens, that we control how our conscious attention and time are used. By how often we check Facebook. By when we choose to reply to an email. By who we watch (and for how long) on YouTube. It starts with us, and our kids —whether they’re our children, students, extended family, or neighbors — are watching.
“And that means that we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever. And that’s going to get you to contribute more content, and that’s going to get you … more likes and comments.”
Watching the number of likes add up on something we shared can feel pretty great. Seeing few likes can feel awful. Both are related to dopamine, a chemical in your 🧠 brain 🧠 that makes you feel good, and social media can trigger it or hold it back. Powerful sucker, right? You’re more powerful. Start by disabling your notifications. Silence the dings!
“It’s a social-validation feedback loop … exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you’re exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology.”
Without us, our devices can’t do a thing. They rely on us, not the other way around. If anything is vulnerable in this equation, it’s the device. So control your device instead of letting it control you. Charge it in another room while you sleep 😴. Keep it in your bag, purse, or even car when you meet a friend for lunch 👛. Take breaks from it on the weekend or over vacation 🌴. It needs you far more than you need it.
Now go on. You’ve got this. #winatsocial 🏆