attention is currency. stop giving it away for free.
every platform wants your attention because your attention = profit. tiktok, youtube, even your student portal ā everythingās designed to keep you scrolling, spending, or stressing. time is a resource. start protecting it like your money.
but what does that actually mean?
it means that youāre not the customer on most apps ā youāre the product. companies profit by selling your attention and data to advertisers. algorithms are designed to hijack your brainās reward systemālikes, follows, autoplay, endless scroll. none of that is an accident.
recently, the ftc hosted a 2025 workshop called āthe attention economy: how big tech firms exploit kids and hurt families,ā highlighting how platforms intentionally hook users.
studies show that 1 in 5 teens spends over 2 hours daily on tiktokāover recommended limitsāand higher usage is linked to anxiety and lower self-esteem.
researchers also warn that algorithmic amplification (like tiktokās for-you feed) fuels compulsive use by reinforcing targeted content deep into feeds.
hereās how to take your attention back and why it matters:
1. delete one app every weekend. just for two days. a brief digital detox, like removing social media apps over a weekend, can reduce stress and improve focus.
2. if you wouldnāt pay to see it, donāt give it your full attention. time is a resourceāif content wouldnāt earn your money, donāt give your attention. treat it like currency.
3. make your phone boring. moving apps off your home screen and switching your phone to grayscale can reduce its addictive pull .
4. start āmicro budgetingā your attention. time-blocking your screen useālike budgeting moneyāimproves control and awareness over where your time goes .
5. set one hour a week as āno inputā time. intentionally unplugged time helps spark creativity and mental clarity.
6. stop doomscrolling as ābeing informed.ā reading endless crisis content at night increases anxietyālimiting you to scheduled, credible news consumption is healthier.
7. pay attention to what content energizes or drains you. teens who develop awareness of what content affects their mental health can proactively curate their online feeds.
your attention is your mental energy, your focus, your time. tech companies spend billions trying to hijack it. you donāt have to quit the internet ā but you should treat your attention like money. once you give it away, you canāt get it back.
and your future, your mind, and your goals deserve better. sources:
federal trade commission. the attention economy: how big tech firms exploit children and hurt families. workshop, federal trade commission, 4 june 2025, ftc.gov/news-events/events/2025/06/attention-economy-tech-firms-exploit-children. accessed 25 june 2025.
bilali, angeliki, et al. āassociation between tiktok use and anxiety, depression, and sleepiness among adolescents: a crossāsectional study in greece.ā pediatric reports, vol.āÆ17, no.āÆ2, 2025, p.āÆ34, doi:10.3390/pediatric17020034.
āteens, social media and mental health.ā pew research center, 22 apr. 2025, pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/22/teens-social-media-and-mental-health/. accessed 25 june 2025.
foo, bart. ācanāt stop scrolling! adolescentsā patterns of tiktok use and digital wellābeing.ā humanities and social sciences communications, 2024, nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03984-5. accessed 25 june 2025.
