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Attentional Harms and Digital Inequalities
1Brain-Behaviour Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
JMIR Mental Health
|February 11, 2022
Summary
Persuasive digital technologies can cause significant attentional harms, impacting mental health and exacerbating digital inequalities. Recognizing and addressing these harms is crucial for user well-being and equitable internet access.
Area of Science:
- Digital Ethics
- Mental Health Technology
- Sociology of the Internet
Background:
- Growing public concern exists regarding the impact of persuasive digital technologies on mental health and well-being.
- Erosion of attentional capacity due to digital platforms necessitates a deeper understanding of the stakes involved.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the concept of attentional harms and their potential seriousness.
- To connect attentional harms to evolving debates on digital inequalities.
- To highlight the role of persuasive technologies in sustained attentional loss.
Main Methods:
- Ethical viewpoint analysis
- Conceptual exploration of attentional harms
- Examination of digital inequalities through the lens of attention manipulation
Main Results:
- Attentional harms represent a significant ethical concern with profound implications for mental health.
- Persuasive technologies contribute to digital inequalities by causing sustained attentional loss.
- These inequalities are projected to increase, raising justice concerns for internet users.
Conclusions:
- Acknowledging attentional harms is vital for addressing multidimensional digital inequalities.
- Empowering internet users against attention manipulation is essential.
- Balancing expanded high-quality access with protection against psychological burdens is necessary.
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