Returning from university. Lying down. Opening Instagram. Scrolling.\nScrolling. Scrolling.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, the clock shows two in the morning. Assignments remain\nunfinished, eyes feel sore, and all that remains is regret. This is not\ndue to laziness, but rather a lack of awareness of when \u2018just a moment\u2019\ntransformed into several hours.<\/p>\n
I experience this almost every day. After returning from university,\nthe first routine is not to open notes or complete assignments, but to\nopen social media. Even before sleeping, I often feel the need to watch\none more video, one more post, or one more notification before finally\ndrifting off. What remains is not a sense of entertainment, but\nexhaustion.<\/p>\n
This experience is not mine alone. Social media has become part of\nthe daily lives of millions, especially Generation Z. The 2024 Digital\nReport from We Are Social shows that the average internet user worldwide\nspends more than two hours every day on social media. Indonesia is even\namong the countries with high levels of social media usage. For many\nyoung people, social media is no longer just a communication tool, but a\nspace to learn, seek entertainment, build relationships, and shape their\nidentities.<\/p>\n
However, being connected for longer does not always mean being more\ncomfortable. Amidst increasing usage, trends such as digital detox,\nbreaks from social media, and the desire to reduce screen time have\nemerged. This phenomenon shows that many young people are not trying to\ndistance themselves from technology, but are attempting to distance\nthemselves from the exhaustion it causes.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, this exhaustion is often regarded as a matter of\npersonal discipline. We frequently hear the assumption that young people\nare too lazy, too dependent on phones, or unable to manage their time.\nHowever, the issue is not that simple.<\/p>\n
Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are indeed designed to keep\nusers engaged for longer. Features like infinite scroll allow us to keep\nswiping the screen without a clear endpoint. Algorithms learn user\nhabits to present increasingly engaging content, while notifications\ncontinuously invite us to reopen the applications.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s digital economy, user attention is a highly valuable\nasset. The longer a person stays on a platform, the greater the profit a\ncompany can derive from that activity.<\/p>\n
This is where the greatest irony for Generation Z lies. They grew up\nalongside technology and are often called the most digitally literate\ngeneration. However, they are also the group that interacts most\nextensively with digital systems designed to retain attention for as\nlong as possible.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is no longer why young\npeople find it difficult to put down their phones. A more important\nquestion is why digital platforms are so effective at making them keep\nreturning.<\/p>\n
Some countries are beginning to recognise this issue. The European\nUnion, through the Digital Services Act, is pushing for greater\ntransparency regarding the algorithmic systems of digital platforms.\nAustralia has even gone further by restricting social media access for\nusers under the age of 16 due to concerns regarding the impact on the\nyounger generation.<\/p>\n
These steps indicate that the issue of digital health is no longer\nviewed solely as an individual responsibility, but also as a\nresponsibility of technology companies.<\/p>\n
Of course, digital literacy remains important. Users need to\nunderstand how algorithms work and learn to set boundaries for\ntechnology use. However, asking individuals to constantly fight a system\nspecifically designed to capture their attention is not a fair\nsolution.<\/p>\n
We have spent years creating technology capable of changing the\nworld. But if that same technology instead leaves its users exhausted\nevery night, then something needs to be evaluated.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the issue is not whether Generation Z uses their phones\ntoo much. The more important question is: how long will we allow digital\nplatforms to make user exhaustion a part of their business model?<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/when-attention-becomes-a-commodity-1782989629", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }