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BACK IN MY DAY.. the flip phone, t9 input, 320x200 screens were pinnacle of mobile tech, and I longed for a future which started in 2006 with the release of the

BACK IN MY DAY.. the flip phone, t9 input, 320x200 screens were pinnacle of mobile tech, and I longed for a future which started in 2006 with the release of the iPhone. Now, as a dad of a 15 year old girl, I am crushed that the ecosystem our generations helped build - with good intentions - rules her and her friends life from waking hour to doomscrolling pre-bed ritual. It doesn't help being in a shared custody situation. Where my voice was ignored when it came to introducing the device to her in the first place (aware of some of the dangers that lurked at that time). My ex (her mom) are in a very amicable post-relationship, but we just couldn't agree on the "own phone" thing. Too early. After she's driving age. If she can't legally enlist she shouldn't be connected to the hyperverse. She can't decide what's right and smart, just what she thinks is right and smart. One very important thought is to remember that these low life-experience minors just don't have the experience and mental faculty to deal with low quality bait the same way as those who have come before her and grew up seeing the dastardly intentions of people. They are still very naive, and the power imbalance of bullshit detection. Anyway, I don't think I have a point here except to say I am ashamed for my role in bringing the pervasive mobile device reality to fruition, no matter how small a role I may have played in it. At least how it stands, now. At this point I wish there were alternatives to "the internet" that work alongside and identically to it, but with more controls and regulation to protect minors. That's not to say there shouldn't be a regular internet coexisting, but one where our devices can choose what network to operate near identically on, but has more accountability. More than one kid in our large district has been catfished and had their nudes leak and criminal investigations that lead nowhere. One kid has tried to start a fight online and wound up paralyzed. These are sub-16 aged minors playing hardball with the pros.

cmrdporcupine 3y ago
Meta seem to especially profit off the mental exploitation of our elderly parents, and our young teens. Evil sandwich with a pissed-off GenX inbetween.
- deleted 3y ago
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sroussey 3y ago
I dunno… I find that teenagers are far better at discerning low quality online content then their grandparents.
- lotsofpulp 3y ago
  The popularity of TikTok/Instagram’s unskippable garbage video players makes me think otherwise. I get sent links to videos that are cropped from landscape to portrait back to landscape. The videos have irrelevant emoji all over them. They are even split in half, showing two separate videos at the same time (I presume in case you lose interest with one). Mind boggling as someone that grew up seeing the advent of streaming high definition video, with the ability to skip around, adjust the playback speed, subtitle, etc.
- Loughla 3y ago
  I absolutely do in certain situations but not in others. Older folks are more wary of trusting strangers, but way more willing to believe bullshit if it agrees with their established worldviews. Whereas teens are SHOCKINGLY willing to trust strangers on the internet with deeply personal content, like nudes and mental health or medical stuff.
- zlg_codes 3y ago
  The issue is they aren't as good at it as their parents, i.e. older millennials and Gen X. There's this expectation that younger generations are just better at tech due to being young, because a considerable portion of Gen X and Millennials were enthusiastic and hopeful about technology, and so embraced it and the Internet when they were younger. The risks are certainly a bit more dire these days than back in the 80s and 90s, but there was also just a more careful culture. Platforms these days want you to share everything, and so kids just fall for it because they want genuine connection... but can't find it.
- autoexec 3y ago
  teenagers can be good at detecting low quality content, but they aren't very good at knowing when they're being advertised to (https://theamericangenius.com/business-marketing/teens-cant-tell-the-difference-between-google-search-results-and-ads/ https://theamericangenius.com/business-marketing/teens-cant-...) and they're basically wired to be impulsive and make poor choices. The parts of their brains that let them evaluate long term consequences is still being developed. (https://www.healthline.com/health/teen-brain-development https://www.healthline.com/health/teen-brain-development) It's why they are so vulnerable to oversharing (including passing around nudes). Companies who profit from collecting data and pushing ads exploit teens and children because they are so vulnerable.
hfjjbf 3y ago
The roots of all this stretch back decades. Whereas the US allowed unhealthy foods and cigarettes to advertise using cartoon characters, and still do, other countries introduced strict prohibitions on such activities. While Joe Camel is a thing of the past, Ronald McDonald is happily sheparding a pediatric obesity crisis. Which is all to say none of this is the result of a “broken” system, it’s the result of a well designed evil system. Technologists weren’t “trying” to build these systems, but happily devoted their lives to advertising without knowing jack shit about the industry or its effects on society.
footy 3y ago
> One kid has tried to start a fight online and wound up paralyzed. Jesus Christ. The catfishing thing is bad too, but not surprising by now. This is a new kind of heartbreaking thing.
louison11 3y ago
I think digital addiction is currently the most pervasive public health issue that is also the least recognized. Sure, we made documentaries like the social dilemma... But whatever... the numbers speak for themselves. Teenagers in the US spend an avg 8 hours/day on the screen. In this industry people are quick to say "but it's a tool! It depends on how people use it!" But the reality is that we very well know how some specific demographics use it, and we know it's overall not good. Both because of the addictive component, and the bullying/graphic content, etc.
- Aerbil313 3y ago
  > Teenagers in the US spend an avg 8 hours/day on the screen. That’s shocking! How do people survive over there, wasting a third of their lifetimes and their mental and physical health as well in the process? only ~%20 joking…
  - louison11 3y ago
    It’s not just “over there,” I believe the numbers are similar if not worse in many Asian countries, and only slightly lower in Europe. Teenagers don’t typically need to survive. Half of it is probably throughout the day at school, in class, in between classes and in public transportation. And the rest is likely at night instead of socializing/studying/sleeping. We hosted two teenagers from UK and US this summer at two different times, friends & extended family. They both spent a major part of their time locked inside their room scrolling TikTok, then scrolling TikTok some more on the couch of our living room. One of them was open about it and recognized she spends on average 10h/day on it when she’s on holiday. It’s really bad, an entire generation is particularly depressed, desperate and doesn’t know how to stop the pattern. They can be on holiday in a foreign country for the first time, and still struggle not to waste their time on the compulsion, scrolling for hours instead of enjoying discovering something new. I think ultimately what we’re saying is people survive, but it results in ATH all time high rates of loneliness, ATL rates of intercourse, and surprise surprise less babies, less families. Just an overall slowing down of adulting and building one’s life. It’s quite sad.
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cmrdporcupine 3y ago

Meta seem to especially profit off the mental exploitation of our elderly parents, and our young teens. Evil sandwich with a pissed-off GenX inbetween.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

sroussey 3y ago

I dunno… I find that teenagers are far better at discerning low quality online content then their grandparents.

lotsofpulp 3y ago
The popularity of TikTok/Instagram’s unskippable garbage video players makes me think otherwise. I get sent links to videos that are cropped from landscape to portrait back to landscape. The videos have irrelevant emoji all over them. They are even split in half, showing two separate videos at the same time (I presume in case you lose interest with one). Mind boggling as someone that grew up seeing the advent of streaming high definition video, with the ability to skip around, adjust the playback speed, subtitle, etc.
Loughla 3y ago
I absolutely do in certain situations but not in others. Older folks are more wary of trusting strangers, but way more willing to believe bullshit if it agrees with their established worldviews. Whereas teens are SHOCKINGLY willing to trust strangers on the internet with deeply personal content, like nudes and mental health or medical stuff.
zlg_codes 3y ago
The issue is they aren't as good at it as their parents, i.e. older millennials and Gen X. There's this expectation that younger generations are just better at tech due to being young, because a considerable portion of Gen X and Millennials were enthusiastic and hopeful about technology, and so embraced it and the Internet when they were younger. The risks are certainly a bit more dire these days than back in the 80s and 90s, but there was also just a more careful culture. Platforms these days want you to share everything, and so kids just fall for it because they want genuine connection... but can't find it.
autoexec 3y ago
teenagers can be good at detecting low quality content, but they aren't very good at knowing when they're being advertised to (https://theamericangenius.com/business-marketing/teens-cant-tell-the-difference-between-google-search-results-and-ads/ https://theamericangenius.com/business-marketing/teens-cant-...) and they're basically wired to be impulsive and make poor choices. The parts of their brains that let them evaluate long term consequences is still being developed. (https://www.healthline.com/health/teen-brain-development https://www.healthline.com/health/teen-brain-development) It's why they are so vulnerable to oversharing (including passing around nudes). Companies who profit from collecting data and pushing ads exploit teens and children because they are so vulnerable.

hfjjbf 3y ago

The roots of all this stretch back decades. Whereas the US allowed unhealthy foods and cigarettes to advertise using cartoon characters, and still do, other countries introduced strict prohibitions on such activities. While Joe Camel is a thing of the past, Ronald McDonald is happily sheparding a pediatric obesity crisis. Which is all to say none of this is the result of a “broken” system, it’s the result of a well designed evil system. Technologists weren’t “trying” to build these systems, but happily devoted their lives to advertising without knowing jack shit about the industry or its effects on society.

footy 3y ago

> One kid has tried to start a fight online and wound up paralyzed. Jesus Christ. The catfishing thing is bad too, but not surprising by now. This is a new kind of heartbreaking thing.

louison11 3y ago

I think digital addiction is currently the most pervasive public health issue that is also the least recognized. Sure, we made documentaries like the social dilemma... But whatever... the numbers speak for themselves. Teenagers in the US spend an avg 8 hours/day on the screen. In this industry people are quick to say "but it's a tool! It depends on how people use it!" But the reality is that we very well know how some specific demographics use it, and we know it's overall not good. Both because of the addictive component, and the bullying/graphic content, etc.

Aerbil313 3y ago
> Teenagers in the US spend an avg 8 hours/day on the screen. That’s shocking! How do people survive over there, wasting a third of their lifetimes and their mental and physical health as well in the process? only ~%20 joking…
- louison11 3y ago
  It’s not just “over there,” I believe the numbers are similar if not worse in many Asian countries, and only slightly lower in Europe. Teenagers don’t typically need to survive. Half of it is probably throughout the day at school, in class, in between classes and in public transportation. And the rest is likely at night instead of socializing/studying/sleeping. We hosted two teenagers from UK and US this summer at two different times, friends & extended family. They both spent a major part of their time locked inside their room scrolling TikTok, then scrolling TikTok some more on the couch of our living room. One of them was open about it and recognized she spends on average 10h/day on it when she’s on holiday. It’s really bad, an entire generation is particularly depressed, desperate and doesn’t know how to stop the pattern. They can be on holiday in a foreign country for the first time, and still struggle not to waste their time on the compulsion, scrolling for hours instead of enjoying discovering something new. I think ultimately what we’re saying is people survive, but it results in ATH all time high rates of loneliness, ATL rates of intercourse, and surprise surprise less babies, less families. Just an overall slowing down of adulting and building one’s life. It’s quite sad.

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