Technology Speech
Youtube autoplay
ADHD in children
Introduce that we all have psychological weakspots
After hearing my speech, the audience will be able to tell their friends about the top 3 methods that technology companies use to hijack their minds.
Intermittent variable rewards, SLOT machines
Slot machines make more money in the United States than baseball, movies, and theme parks combined
Relative to other kinds of gambling, people get ‘problematically involved’ with slot machines 3–4x faster
Problems like slot machines emerge by accident
Social APPROVAL
Facebook knows the times when we are most concerned about social approval
They make sure that our new profile picture hangs around the top of others newsfeed for a longer time than usual
Facebook limits the rate at which it notifies us of people's likes to keep us coming back for more
This is a problem with teenagers
There is a reason Facebook asks for your age when you sign up
Social RECIPROCITY
Whatsapp read notifications
Netflix v Youtube war
Exploit this need to increase screen time on their app
Take an experience that was bounded and finite, and turn it into a bottomless flow that keeps going
With bottomless bowls, people eat 73% more calories than those with normal bowls
Infinite scroll feeds
CURRENCY technology companies compete for is TIME SPENT on screens
If it is free, then you are the product
Make the choices they want you to make easy and the ones they don't hard
There are thousands of these techniques, it is a whole field of study
People’s time is valuable. And we should protect it with the same rigor as privacy and other digital rights.
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Average person checks their phone 150 times a day
Revenue comes from ADVERTISING industry
Snapchats streaks
Targets teenager's vulnerabilities
Instagram limits the rate at which it shows you likes to keep you coming back for more