Abstract
In Unwired: Gaining Control over Addictive Technologies, Professor Gaia Bernstein calls our attention to the growing problem of digital addiction. Digital addiction may sound like something out of a science-fiction novel or something that does not raise the same sort of real-life practical concerns as are present in a physical health crisis or an economic decline. But as Bernstein presents the evidence, we learn that the consequences of digital addiction can be just as harmful as a serious disease or a financial depression. Cognitive development disorders, anxiety, emotional depression, social isolation, and other mental health ills can be debilitating—as much as a physical disorder or a fiscal disaster.
Despite the ill effects of digital addiction, it remains misunderstood and undiagnosed. As digital technologies continue to become more pervasive in most every aspect of our lives, the problem of digital addiction is easy to dismiss. It is often subtle and nuanced, growing at an ever-increasing rate. Practical proposals to remedy the social ill have largely been absent. Bernstein, however, leads a discussion about meaningful ways to intervene and to change behaviors. As she opens the discussion, Bernstein skillfully draws from the histories of other social problems, such as tobacco addiction, to teach us about the effectiveness of different methods for implementing change. She cites the science that gives credibility to both the notion and severity of digital addiction; she addresses the counterarguments of autonomy and personal responsibility; she sets forth industry’s responses and their compromised business models; she discusses potential redesigns for technologies and avenues of awareness for relevant audiences. Her analysis is thorough and thoughtful. Her conclusions make sense. In short, Bernstein has raised a clarion call for solving the problem of digital addiction.
Recommended Citation
Ned Snow, Responding to Digital Addiction, 48 SEATTLE U. L. REV. 743 (2025).
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