Every single one of us has experienced times where they tend to procrastinate, either during studying or before doing some chores and you will always feel guilty afterwards. Initially you did not intend to do it, but you do it anyways as there is always something that will attract your attention, especially while surfing on a social platform. However, this cannot entirely be blamed on us. As big tech companies are specialized in getting us to spend our time on their platform.
Companies such as Facebook, Youtube or Snapchat are competing for your time and attention. All these companies are trying to maximize the time you spend on their website or application. By discovering how our mind works, they will eventually know what to show us to attract our attention. Youtube shows recommended videos based on your preferences. These recommended videos will automatically play after the video you are watching ends. Netflix goes a step further by auto playing whole seasons. And Facebook auto plays all the videos from your timeline. When they show you these videos you may be thinking that you consciously chose to watch that video, but these companies already know that with a trick like autopay, they will get your attention and therefore time. While competing for the biggest market share, these companies are persuading you to give them your time and simultaneously they are deciding for you what you spend your time on. Topics that you “like”, watch, visit or open often, will pop up on your screen every day, such as cats, watches or the chocolate deficiency crisis.
Tristan Harris (2017) argues that three radical changes have to be made to technology and our society in order to fix the amount of control these tech companies will have on our time. First our society needs to acknowledge that we are (easily) persuadable. Our mind can be scheduled into little blocks of time or thoughts. These companies are taking control over these times and thoughts of us. If we start to understand that they have a persuasive power, we can start to protect our times and thoughts. Secondly new systems and regulations are needed to start getting these companies accountable for their actions and in order to protect ourselves against these firms. As technology evolves, tech companies will get more and more knowledge and persuasive power and they will get more accountable for our lives. And lastly, a ‘design renaissance’ is needed. Currently, the companies decide the “design” of your thoughts and time for you. So, wouldn’t it be better if they design the optimal thoughts and time for you? Imagine a timeline without bad thoughts and only with positive and empowering thoughts that encourage your optimal life. That means that your thoughts and time will be spend on your own goals. Wouldn’t this be perfect? A perfect life orchestrated by the tech firms, chosen by us.
Harris, T. (2017). the manipulative tricks tech companies use to capture your attention. Retrieved from TED: the_manipulative_tricks_tech_companies_use_to_capture_your_attention
Nice blog Anny! It’s really fascinating that the autoplay really pushes us into a direction where they want us to be. Do you think regulation is necessary to forbid autoplay? Or should we just act stronger and take back controle?
Furthermore, I like the research from Harris and his first two radical changes sound very logical. And new regulations is also his proposal. But I’am not sure if I agree with the third radical change he came up with. Why would positive and empowering thoughts help to less attract our attention? I think this would be the other way around and users want to keep reading these thoughts and spend more and more time on platforms. Maybe I viewed his third point in a wrong way, so I am going to read the research for sure!