Resources from the movie:
Stanford Laboratory for Persuasive Technologies
Stanford University Behavioral Design Lab
The Stanford U. Persuasion Through Mobile Design Lab is led by BJ Fogg, a Stanford behavioral scientist, https://www.bjfogg.com/
in 2006 we created a video to alert the FTC (and others) to the problem areas surrounding persuasive technology. Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/117427520
(Quick note BJ: This video is slow and it’s not my best shot with my head shaved and all. But listen to what I predicted and warned people. Go to at least minute 10 and see what I say about the political use of persuasion profiles. This (we recorded the video in 2006 to warn policymakers about the impact of persuasive technology. Remember, this message was recorded in 2006, not 2016, and the message resonates more every day.)
Wired’s Simone Stolzoff (2018) explains The formula for phone addiction can double as treatment
Ten years ago, a Stanford lab developed a formula to make technology addictive. Now Silicon Valley is grappling with the consequences.
“IN SEPTEMBER 2007, 75 students entered the classroom at Stanford. Ten weeks later, they had combined 16 million users, $1 million in ad revenue, and a formula that would wow a generation.
Class – colloquially known as Facebook class— and his instructor, BJ Fogg, became Silicon Valley legends.
Fake news travels faster than real stories on Twitter
in 2018 A study by MIT
Research project finds that humans, not bots, are primarily responsible for spreading misleading information.
“We found that lies spread much further, faster, deeper and wider than the truth, across all categories of information, and in most cases to some degree,” says Sinan Aral, a professor at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. and co-author of a new paper detailing the findings.
Brief questions and ideas for your assessment:
As we wrap up the movie, what are your overall thoughts on the movie? What’s your biggest takeaway? What do you think the film’s claim/thesis was?
If you have a cell phone that tracks usage, check your usage – how many hours do you spend on it on average?
Actions you can take:
Here’s a summary of individual actions you can take today:
- Remove apps from My Phone that waste your time, such as social media apps and news apps.
- Turn off notifications. Turns off all notifications. I no longer use Google, I use Qwant which does not store your search history.
- Never accept a video recommended to you by YouTube. Always choose. There are a number of Chrome extensions that remove recommendations.
- Before you share, check the facts, consider the source, and do an extra Google. If it seems like something designed to really push your emotional buttons, it probably is. Basically, you vote with your clicks. If you click on clickbait, you create a financial incentive that keeps this system in place.
- Make sure you get a lot of different information in your life. I follow people I disagree with on Twitter because I want to be exposed to different points of view.
Which of the above steps might work best for you?
Research and impact of digital devices on students
In addition to its benefits to society, democracy and living in a shared reality world, there are more personal and practical reasons to consider social media.
Check out this post for a list of research-based findings on why digital media is hurting your learning and grades
7. Which study from the post/link above do you find most persuasive or applicable? Why? Do you think this is possible?
Big Data and YOU:
- Have you ever wondered what social media knows about you? Think about the last time you bought something in a store. If the seller were a stranger, would you tell them everything your social media knows about you? Take a look at this Tech News post and the chart they included from clario (below):
8. Is it surprising? What apps do you use that store the most data?
Google and multiple realities
Below are some of the google searches I started. How does Google fill in the same query when you type it? Are your search results different?
Do any of the three Google searches above stand out to you? How? If you know someone in another part of the country, ask them to do the same search and compare the results.
What questions do you still have about socialization and media?
