The Attention Economy vs. Honesty and Consent
Sources:
The Attention Economy and the Collapse of Cognitive Autonomy
NEW ECONOMICS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ATTENTION ECONOMY
This week's topic of tags and algorithms brought the term "attention economy" to the front of my mind. The information we see depends on what we seek. Social networking sites are designed through algorithms to send us down rabbit holes and create echo chambers to produce higher engagement and longer screen times. This benefits the sites but not the users themselves. The focus is no longer on information but attention grabbing.
There's less demand for neutral information in exchange of sensationalism. Everything is an opinion piece rather than data, your mind is made up for you based on past engagement. Is this creating a tailored experience or pidgeon holing your world view? What information are you missing out on because assumptions are made about who you are? When an event occurs, honestly, do you seek information or opinion?
I think algorithms devolve our cognition and remove key information literacy we should be practicing daily.
I appreciate knowing about the "attention economy" as I'd not heard it called by that name previously. I remember after I watched that movie The Social Dilemma I immediately withdrew from most of the social media platforms--not but shutting them off, but by disengaging. I've slowly over time gone back to them. What I found frustrating about that movie--while appreciating the message it shared--is that so many of the speakers had gotten rich working for Google and FaceBook but then quit after gaining a conscious about the damage the algorithms were bringing. I find it fascinating to engage with various people about current events--very few people seek out information that doesn't align with their opinions and perspectives. And in discussions, it's easy to get a sense of where their information comes from based on what they say and how they frame those opinions. It's really quite scary. I don't mean to suggest that I don't succumb to occasional "rabbit hole" thinking myself, but once you start challenging yourself, and having a watchful eye about what you consume and how others frame their arguments, it is hard to un-see. It is challenging project in this environment, and one that needs addressing in terms of teaching kids, and ourselves how to not get sucked in.
ReplyDelete