When Attention Becomes a Commodity

Returning from university. Lying down. Opening Instagram. Scrolling. Scrolling. Scrolling.

Suddenly, the clock shows two in the morning. Assignments remain unfinished, eyes feel sore, and all that remains is regret. This is not due to laziness, but rather a lack of awareness of when ‘just a moment’ transformed into several hours.

I experience this almost every day. After returning from university, the first routine is not to open notes or complete assignments, but to open social media. Even before sleeping, I often feel the need to watch one more video, one more post, or one more notification before finally drifting off. What remains is not a sense of entertainment, but exhaustion.

This experience is not mine alone. Social media has become part of the daily lives of millions, especially Generation Z. The 2024 Digital Report from We Are Social shows that the average internet user worldwide spends more than two hours every day on social media. Indonesia is even among the countries with high levels of social media usage. For many young people, social media is no longer just a communication tool, but a space to learn, seek entertainment, build relationships, and shape their identities.

However, being connected for longer does not always mean being more comfortable. Amidst increasing usage, trends such as digital detox, breaks from social media, and the desire to reduce screen time have emerged. This phenomenon shows that many young people are not trying to distance themselves from technology, but are attempting to distance themselves from the exhaustion it causes.

Unfortunately, this exhaustion is often regarded as a matter of personal discipline. We frequently hear the assumption that young people are too lazy, too dependent on phones, or unable to manage their time. However, the issue is not that simple.

Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are indeed designed to keep users engaged for longer. Features like infinite scroll allow us to keep swiping the screen without a clear endpoint. Algorithms learn user habits to present increasingly engaging content, while notifications continuously invite us to reopen the applications.

In today’s digital economy, user attention is a highly valuable asset. The longer a person stays on a platform, the greater the profit a company can derive from that activity.

This is where the greatest irony for Generation Z lies. They grew up alongside technology and are often called the most digitally literate generation. However, they are also the group that interacts most extensively with digital systems designed to retain attention for as long as possible.

Therefore, the question that needs to be asked is no longer why young people find it difficult to put down their phones. A more important question is why digital platforms are so effective at making them keep returning.

Some countries are beginning to recognise this issue. The European Union, through the Digital Services Act, is pushing for greater transparency regarding the algorithmic systems of digital platforms. Australia has even gone further by restricting social media access for users under the age of 16 due to concerns regarding the impact on the younger generation.

These steps indicate that the issue of digital health is no longer viewed solely as an individual responsibility, but also as a responsibility of technology companies.

Of course, digital literacy remains important. Users need to understand how algorithms work and learn to set boundaries for technology use. However, asking individuals to constantly fight a system specifically designed to capture their attention is not a fair solution.

We have spent years creating technology capable of changing the world. But if that same technology instead leaves its users exhausted every night, then something needs to be evaluated.

Ultimately, the issue is not whether Generation Z uses their phones too much. The more important question is: how long will we allow digital platforms to make user exhaustion a part of their business model?