Smartphone Nation
Why We're All Addicted to Screens and What Your Family Can Do About It
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- 4,99 €
Publisher Description
'A brilliant and important book' – Chris van Tulleken, author of Ultra-Processed People
'A smart first step into completely resetting your digital life' – Stylist
A social media ban for under 16s does not make the problem disappear. Teenagers will have to use their devices differently now and Smartphone Nation provides the practical solutions you and your family need to take back control.
In this acclaimed book, Dr Kaityn Regehr, one of the world’s leading digital literacy experts, gives you the knowledge and the language to explain the reasons behind the ban, why social media can be so harmful and the often disturbing reasons why we each see the particular content we do. The tools in Smartphone Nation are there to help you understand, advocate, and parent around these tricky, constantly changing issues.
From issues of misinformation, body dysmorphia, pornography, to online bullying, this essential guide helps you and your family become more intentional over screen usage – whatever the screen you are using.
'Equips us with the practical tools needed to build a healthier, happier future for ourselves and our kids’ – Daisy Greenwell, co-founder Smartphone-Free Childhood
'A candid, rigorous, and witty read on how to stop digital devices from wreaking havoc on our lives' – Adam Grant, author of Think Again
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Digital humanities professor Regehr (The League of Exotic Dancers) delivers a transformative guide to reevaluating technology habits. She likens her framework for digital consumption to the food pyramid, explaining that some technology, like nutrient-rich foods, is good for people, but much of the algorithm-fed content users receive is addictive and harmful, like candy. The author emphasizes learning to recognize the ways social media apps use data-informed strategies to keep people engaged, making it easy for users to get stuck in echo chambers and become susceptible to misinformation. Throughout, Regehr offers readers guidance for identifying and addressing their own harmful technology habits as well as their children's. For example, people should recognize they're in an echo chamber, or "you-loop," if every piece of content they're interacting with has the same opinion. To help kids avoid this, she advises parents to teach them the importance of healthy debate. She also offers a slew of practical tips for moderating consumption, like turning smartphones to grayscale to diminish their addictiveness and using a variety of browsers to avoid targeted advertising. Her smart and accessible "Digital Diet Pyramid," which outlines how the various types of digital engagement—from passive use to education and learning—should be prioritized, will help readers think critically about their screen time. This successfully equips families to upend unhealthy digital practices.
