After reading and listening to the lectures taught by Radima Fernando from The Foundations of Humane Technology, one concept that stuck out to me was persuasive technology and the specific ways that technology hijacks the mind. He uses one example of notifications that naturally redirect us by interrupting and hijacking our brain to pay attention immediately. He also uses examples such as the three dots when someone is typing which puts us in a high state of alert caused by this feature as well as algorithm-driven recommendations that draw us into spending more time on screens. One highlight includes the following quote:

“Human technologists design tools that enable users to make good choices, even if those choices would be difficult given human vulnerabilities.”

(Fernando 1)

Fernando describes this as a very challenging goal for our society as we move into the future. Humans are very susceptible to persuasion and are easily manipulated and I agree with the author in giving humans a fair choice, even if it’s a difficult one. For example, he says we need to give users options to move past the most addictive behaviors such as distracting them with notifications or increasing their screen time with addictive content. Another example includes Youtube which, by design hijacks your mind by giving you recommendations for similar videos willfully knowing this was not the original intention of your search. I hear the common expression, “going down the Youtube rabbit hole” all too often. This expression clearly explains this exact theory of being distracted by watching the featured “similar” videos and getting addicted to hours on the screen when you only intended to watch one video.

The course explains that some groups who are guilty of exploiting human vulnerabilities include con artists and advertisers. I work for an advertising agency that creates advertising campaigns for Broadway shows in New York City. This is not a company that promotes unhealthy eating habits or cigarettes, I work for a company that promotes arts and culture and sharing it with the community. Therefore, I have never considered the missions of my work as harmful. However, when I create ads that distract and alert people on different platforms, am I “hijacking” the mind in an inhumane way?

For example, when I create a design for a billboard that uses familiar colors and recognizable images, am I hijacking someone’s mind and convincing them that this is the right purchase to make? When I send out an email blast with a red siren emoji, am I creating a connection to a high state of alert for users to open my email without giving them a neutral choice? When I create a website that has similar products to the one I am selling, am I creating a distraction and deliberately keeping the user engaged for longer than they planned to be? The answer is yes. The article “How does advertising affect mental health” cites Agnes Nairn and Cordelia Fine’s Who’s messing with my mind saying:

“Contemporary marketing techniques that link products with positive stimuli can elicit a preference for, or choice of, that product by non-conscious, non-rational means, and may undermine consciously held attitudes.”

(Nairn and Fine 447)

This further confirms my suspicion that advertising companies, no matter what the product is, are taking advantage of users’ minds for their own financial benefit. Being an avid participant in this unhealthy cycle and inhumane process, how can I find a solution and still excel at my job?

One way that I can take action in my job is to stop and ask questions in the content creation process. I have a role that allows me to give feedback on creative deliverables. I can stop and ask if this ad is unfairly hijacking the user or is it educating the user and giving them the choice to engage. I can make sure all language is being truthful and the imagery is not misleading and creating confusion. Another way to take part in this mission is to share this course, bring it up in conversation, and to create more education around persuasive technology and the inhumane effects on society. Even though I am only one person in a large industry of advertisers, I can do my best to challenge the current models and share my knowledge of creating more humane technology.

Citations:

How does advertising affect mental health? – adfree cities. Adfree Cities – for happier, healthier cities. (2023, September 14). https://adfreecities.org.uk/what-we-do/advertising-mental-health/#:~:text=A%20Cycle%20of%20unhappiness,matter%20how%20much%20we%20spend.

Fernando, R. (2023) Module 2: Respecting Human Nature. Exploiting human vulnerabilities [MOOC Lecture]. Foundations of Humane Technology. https://app.participate.com/assignments/module-2-respecting-human-nature/676e4f41-a0da-4731-9824-caf0eecf46ac#chapter-2