Editorial February 2023
Dear Readers,
Documentary recommendation if you haven’t seen it already: The Social Dilemma. It’s truly a game-changer. I can’t count how many times children and adults in my life have referenced concerns they have with technology and its changing role in our lives. Attention-mining platforms- whether that is Google, Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok- compete for market shares of our attention. While the technology at our fingertips today is a remarkably powerful tool, it is chilling to consider that such platforms might be introducing thoughts we don’t intend to have. When I open up YouTube, for example, the video recommendations on the main page often catch 
my eye, and make me think about their subjects. When our attention is monetized, we’re pulled into watching more, posting more, even liking more, as society’s norms encourage more of an investment in social platforms. It might not be the healthiest for teens to send snaps of empty ceilings and blurry selfies just to maintain a streak on Snapchat- but their attention is valuable so science will keep progressing to push them to spend more time taking them. Alarming, but fascinating, that we are on the cusp of a new dawn for tech. What will we do with it?
Love,
Editor Jaanu
