3 Chapter 3: Understanding Digital Citizenship (Irish remix)

Overview

Freedom of speech, digital addiction, cyberbullying, and privacy violations are all issues we may face on a daily basis. Could your review turn into a defamation suit? Are your apps spying on you? Are your devices affecting your health and wellness? Do you know what it takes to conduct yourself in a safe and respectful way in your online world? Find answers to these questions along with others in this chapter.

Content advice: This chapter includes content relating to harassment and bullying online. This may be particularly distressing to some readers so caution is advised in this section 

Chapter Topics

1. Introduction
2. Social Media
3. Privacy
4. Security
5. Defamation
6. Harassment
7. Health and Wellness

Introduction

In this chapter, we will look at some considerations you should make when using social media, and the impact social media use can have on relationships and job searching. We will review how to protect your online privacy, including security threats from spam, phishing, malware, and hacking, as well as looking at the tracking capabilities of different apps and websites. Our behaviour online can have serious real-world consequences, and so this chapter will provide you with an introduction to defamation, slander, and libel, as well as with ways to identify online harassment, including cyberbullying, and what you can do if you are a victim. Finally, we will look at how you can examine your own digital habits in order to improve your physical and mental health.

Social Media

Social media is defined as a group of online communities where people communicate and share information and content. Popular examples of social media sites include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp.

According to a survey by the EU’s official statistical office, Eurostat, almost 9 in 10 of Europeans aged between 16 and 24 are on social media.

The average teenager in Ireland now checks social media at least 60 times a day which has effects on the developing adolescent brain. (from spunout)

We will review some considerations you should make when using social media for personal, educational, and professional use.

Your Digital Footprint

The information you share online can last a long time and may be seen by thousands of people all around the world.

The video below is a TEDx Talk in which the presenter delivers a spoken-word piece titled “Digital Footprints.” The piece reflects on responsible use of social media and how decisions we make about the content we share online may have long-lasting consequences. The presenter, Michelle Clark, is a teacher and public speaker.

A transcript of the performance is available if you prefer to read the text rather than watch and listen to the video.

When Social Media Goes Wrong

Poorly thought out, inappropriate, or offensive messages on social media can have serious consequences. The article “How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life” focuses on the story of a public relations professional who sent out, on her personal account, a tweet that was interpreted as being racist and insensitive (Ronson, 2015). Despite having only 170 Twitter followers, within hours her tweet became the number one worldwide trend on Twitter and received tens of thousands of angry responses. Sacco lost her job, had employees of a hotel threaten to strike if she stayed there, and received criticism from her family. Months after the incident, after being limited in where she could find employment, she was still under scrutiny for her career choices. She even found it challenging to date as people would look her up online and see the negative and controversial things that had been written about her.

Modern stories of the consequences people face due to content on social media can be compared with the public punishments for crimes that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries in the US. Ronson (2015) found that many people in these historical records felt that public punishments often went too far, with the crowds encouraging worse punishments than what may have been fair.

Full article: “How One Stupid Tweet Blew Up Justine Sacco’s Life”

Losing Your Job Because of Social Media

It is possible to lose your job because of content posted on ostensibly personal social media accounts. Even comments made on your own time and meant only for your personal circle of friends and family members may put your career at risk.

People in Ireland have lost their jobs for social media postings that were or were seen to be: sexist, racist, anti-LGBTQ+, or prejudiced or offensive in other ways; posting about, participating in, or encouraging criminal activity; and posting bullying or harassing comments.

Social Media and Job Applications

In the US, an increasing number of employers are using social media to screen job applicants. While some content on public social media can harm your chances of being hired, other content may make you stand out as a potential asset for a company.

For example, CareerBuilder (2016) found that 60% of employers used social media sites to research job candidates up from 52% in 2015 and just 11% in 2006 (CareerBuilder, 2016). The same poll found that 59% use search engines like Google to research candidates (CareerBuilder, 2016), a number that is also increasing. Companies hiring for information technology and sales positions were the most likely to use social media to screen potential employees (CareerBuilder, 2016).

You might say, well that’s the US. But Ireland, along with Canada and the UK, shares enough political and media characteristics (Hallin & Mancini, 2004) that they are considered in the same media system and it is inevitable that what happens in America will eventually spread to Ireland.

But social  media can also be good for your career: 41% of employers said they were less likely to give someone an interview if they couldn’t find any information online about the person (CareerBuilder, 2016). Information found on social media that employers see as positive includes:

• Evidence of how the candidate’s background fits the job qualifications.
• Evidence that the candidate’s personality seems to be a good fit with the company’s culture.
• Evidence of a wide range of interests.
• Evidence of great communication skills and a professional image.

Content or information on social media that may hurt your chance of being hired includes:

• Inappropriate or provocative pictures, videos, or comments.
• Evidence of drinking or using recreational drugs.
• Discriminatory comments.
• Negative or overly critical comments about previous employers or co-workers.
• Evidence of sub-par communication skills.

Social Media and Relationships

Social media can allow you to connect with others, both people you’ve met in person and people you meet online. It can have both positive and negative impacts on our romantic relationships, our friendships, and our relationships with family.

1. Social media can bring people together. In a 2015 Pew survey, 83% of teens using social media said it made them feel more informed about and connected with what is happening in their friends’ lives. The same survey found that 94% of teens spend time with friends through social media.
2. It’s good practice to ask permission before sharing a picture of someone else. In a Kaspersky Lab survey, 58% of people reported feeling upset or uncomfortable when a photo of them was shared that they didn’t want made public.
3. While learning more about the lives of friends and family can be a positive thing, there is such a thing as too much information. According to the same Pew survey, 88% of teens surveyed felt that people overshare information on social media.
4. Honesty is as important online as offline. While most millennials think online dating is a good way to meet people and that friendships can be formed online, many of them have reported feeling disappointed or misled when they discovered that friends or potential romantic partners hadn’t represented themselves accurately online.
5. In the Pew survey, 77% of teens felt people were less authentic on social media compared to in person. However, in the same survey, 85% of teens agreed that people might show a different side of themselves online, and might feel more comfortable discussing serious topics on social media compared to in person.
6. Social media can provide a safe place for some teens to get support: 68% of teens surveyed in the Pew survey said they had asked for and received support through social media during difficult times in their lives.

Pew survey: Teens, Technology and Friendships: Chapter 4: Social Media and Friendships

Social Media Tips

Think carefully before you post. Anything you share online can stay there a long time, even after you delete it.

• Don’t post anything you may regret later.
• Check your privacy settings. But know that they may not protect you. People can still take screenshots.
• Your content may be visible to and shareable by more people than you realize.

You’ll learn more about privacy and settings in the privacy section of this chapter.

• Make a good first impression.
• Social media isn’t just used by family and friends. Many employers are starting to use and monitor social media to screen job applicants.
• Consider your health.

Use of social media can have an impact on your mental, emotional, and physical health. You’ll learn more about health and wellness later in this chapter.

Privacy

Whenever you interact with online content your activities are not entirely private. You leave a digital footprint when you access websites, search Google, or download and interact with apps. What kind of impact can this have on your life? Why should you care?

Terms of Use and App Permissions

Let’s face it, very few people read the “terms and conditions,” or the “terms of use” agreements prior to installing an application (app). These agreements are legally binding, and clicking “I agree” may permit apps (the companies that own them) to access your: calendar, camera, contacts, location, microphone, phone, or storage, as well as details and information about your friends.  While some applications require certain device permissions to support functionality—for example, your camera app will most likely need to access your phone’s storage to save the photos and videos you capture—other permissions are questionable. Does a camera app really need access to your microphone? Think about the privacy implications of this decision.

When downloading an app, stop and consider:

• Have you read the app’s terms of use?
• Do you know what you’re giving the app permission to access? (e.g., your camera, microphone, location information, contacts, etc.)
• Can you change the permissions you’ve given the app without affecting its functionality?
• Who gets access to the data collected through your use of the app, and how will it be used?
• What kind of privacy options does the app offer?

Cookies and Tracking

Have you ever considered why products you searched for on Amazon show up in your Facebook feed, pop up in your Google search results, or appear on YouTube in advertisements? Cookies—small pieces of data with a unique ID placed on your device by websites—are online tracking tools that enable this to happen. Cookies can store your website-specific browsing behaviour and any site-specific customization (for example, your location preferences), as well as keep track of items added to a cart on online shopping sites, such as Amazon. In addition, they can track your purchases, content you’ve viewed, and your clicking behaviour.

The biggest concern with cookies is that they enable targeted online advertising by sharing your usage and browsing data with advertisers. In addition, certain advertisers use cookies that can span across multiple websites (third-party cookies), collecting extensive data about your browsing behaviour and enabling advertisers to generate a detailed user profile of you based on your site-specific activities. This profile is anonymous; however, in addition to being a potential privacy violation, it can compromise equity of future information access.

Downloading Tips

What can you do to prevent targeted advertising from appearing as you search or from showing up on your social media feeds? One way to bypass this data collection is to use a private browsing window, available in most browsers. How can you find private browsing? Look under File in your browser of choice, and see if an Incognito Window (Chrome) or a Private Window (Firefox; Safari) option is available. Private browsing prevents cookies from collecting data on your browsing behaviour.

• Clear cookies from your browser.
• Install a privacy add-on on your browser, such as Privacy Badger.
• Opt out of personalized ads on Google.
• Use a private/incognito browsing window.
• Use a secure browser, such as Tor.

Device Fingerprinting

Device fingerprinting is a process of identifying the device being used to access a website, based on the specific configuration of the device. You may own a number of devices (a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartphone) each of which is configured based on your preferences.

The goal of device fingerprinting is to create a bridge from a user’s online identity to their real-world identity as a method of tracking consumer behaviour.

Device fingerprinting is used by advertisers to connect with potential customers, and in combination with cookies it tracks user behaviour to develop a highly individualized user profile. Privacy awareness website Am I Unique? refers to device fingerprinting as the “cookieless monster.”

A fingerprint can be created based on the following information about your device:

• What operating system (iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, etc.) is used.
• What browser and browser version are used.
• What content (plug-ins, fonts, add-ons) has been installed.
• The location (determined by device location settings or the IP address).
• Its time zone settings (which can be adjusted automatically by the network provider).

What can you do to prevent device fingerprinting?

1. Check your device fingerprint: Am I Unique? My Fingerprint.
2. Install a script-blocking browser extension.

Security

This section will focus on device and Internet security (or cybersecurity), addressing Internet-based threats such as: spam, malware, viruses, and hacking. The aim of Internet security is to protect all data (including personal data) from unwanted intrusion, theft, and misuse. It is important to keep security in mind as you navigate your digital and virtual worlds.

Common Security Threats

Spam

Spam messages, in the form of emails and texts, are “unsolicited commercial messages” sent either to advertise a new product or to trick people into sharing sensitive information through a process called phishing (more about phishing below).

Protect yourself from Spam

1. Don’t try or buy a product or service advertised in a message you receive from an unknown sender.
2. Don’t reply to a message that seems suspicious to you, or click the “remove” or “unsubscribe” link.
3. Messages coming from businesses you are a customer of should have a working “unsubscribe” link to help you stop future messages.
4. Never visit websites advertised in a suspicious message, and, in particular, beware of links in such emails.
5. Fraudsters can make messages look like they come from people or organizations you know; this is called “spoofing.” If you are unsure about an email message, don’t open it.

Phishing

Phishing is the attempt to steal sensitive information including passwords, usernames, or credit card information through the use of email or any other personal messaging system (e.g., text messages, a messaging app like WhatsApp, Viber, etc.).

Here’s an example: You receive what looks like a trustworthy message asking you to log in to your personal account, maybe your banking account. The link in the message takes you to a fake website, created to mimic the real site. The process of logging in to this fake website allows hackers to collect your sensitive information, providing them with your complete banking login details. This information can then be used to log in to your account and steal your assets.

Protect yourself from phishing:

1. Do not reply to emails asking for your personal information.
2. Never enter sensitive personal information on a pop-up screen.
3. Do not open attachments from an unknown person/organization.
4. Install antivirus and firewall software on your devices, and keep them up to date.

Malware

“Malware” is short for “malicious software.” Malware is typically installed on a user’s device for the purpose of stealing personal information. Types of malware include: viruses, worms, trojans, adware, spyware, and ransomware. Watch this video “Malware: Difference Between Computer Viruses, Worms and Trojans,” for a brief introduction to malware.

Adware. A type of malware that installs pop-up advertising (ads) on a device. The ads are typically unwanted, and can be very annoying. Some adware can track personal information such as browsing data, and can record keystrokes.

Ransomware. A type of malware that encrypts or locks files on your computer/device. Hackers require a payment—a ransom—before they will allow you to access your information again.

Spyware. Installed without user knowledge, and used by hackers to spy on people to get access to personal information, including: passwords, data, or online activity. Once spyware is on your computer, it can copy, delete, share, and compromise your files; control your programs; and enable remote access, allowing someone else to control your computer.

Trojan. In an online context, a Trojan horse, commonly known as a trojan, is malware disguised as legitimate software. Once installed, it allows hackers access to your computer.

Virus. An executable program (it requires user action) that a user may have unintentionally installed on a computer, and that has the potential to corrupt data and compromise the operation of the computer. A virus needs to be opened (executed) for it to infect a computer.

Worm. A self-replicating computer program that spreads automatically across a computer, or a computer network, exploiting vulnerabilities. Computer worms are self-acting and do not rely on user activation. Worms are considered a subclass of viruses.

Hacking and Hacktivism

Computer hacking is a form of “creative problem solving” that takes advantage of computer and network vulnerabilities.

Why do hackers hack?

1. Intellectual curiosity—to see how things work.
2. Personal protection—to patch their own networks.
3. Enjoyment—to have fun with unsuspecting users.
4. Activism—to support a cause.
5. Financial gain—to make money by identifying software glitches.
6. Criminal activity—to cheat people out of sensitive information, and for financial gain.

According to Techopedia, hacktivism “is the act of hacking a website or computer network in an effort to convey a social or political message. The person who carries out the act of hacktivism is known as a hacktivist.” Technology enables hacktivists not only to spread their message, but also to mobilize people on a global scale. These virtual activists use both legal and illegal tools to launch politically and socially motivated computer attacks in support of free speech and human rights. Hacktivists are not typically financially motivated, but instead come together to fight injustice.

Examples of hacktivism include:

1. Speak2Tweet. A voice-to-tweet service created by Google and Twitter engineers to support Arab Spring protesters during Egypt’s Internet blackout in 2011. Read more about Speak2Tweet in “Speak2Tweet, Spreadsheets and the #Jan25 Revolution.”
2. Anonymous. This globally distributed group self-identifies as supporting the “continuation of the Civil-Rights movement” but has been criticized for their activities and identified as a potential national (US) threat. Read about the group’s operations in “8 Most Awesome Hacks Conducted by Anonymous Hackers.”
3. Aaron Swartz. Aaron Swartz was a computer programmer, writer, political organizer, and a hacktivist. He campaigned for open access to scholarship, and against Internet censorship bills in the US. In 2011, Aaron was arrested for attempting to download all of MIT’s JSTOR (JSTOR is a subscription-based academic-journal platform) collections, which was a violation of the licensing agreement. Aaron Swartz took his own life  on January 11, 2013. For a comprehensive insight into Aaron Swartz’s life, read “Requiem for a Dream.”

One of the more common ways hacktivists disrupt networks is through DoS and DDos attacks.

DoS & DDoS Attacks

Most websites have an infrastructure in place that can accommodate a large number of access requests per day—think millions. A Denial of Service (DoS) attack takes place when hackers overwhelm a website with too many requests—billions or trillions of them. A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) is when the attack comes from a large number of computers at once. This causes network overload, the website stops responding, and appears to be down.

DoS and DDoS attacks are made possible through the use of botnets. Botnets are networks of remotely hijacked devices injected with malware and controlled by hackers. Botnets are also called zombies, or zombie bots. Read more about botnets in this post.

Wireless Networks

Secure Wireless Networks

Do you have an Internet connection at home? If so, you most likely have a secure wireless network. Protected by passwords, secure wireless networks are the best kind to use when accessing and sharing sensitive information like: banking and payment details, your SIN (social insurance number), and any other information you’d like to keep private and protected.

Open Wireless Networks

If you have ever accessed a Wi-Fi network at a coffee shop, a mall, an airport, or at school, you most probably connected to an open (or “public”) wireless network. Open networks are typically unsecured, and you can connect to them without a password. While this is convenient and reduces your data usage, public Wi-Fi networks pose a number of security risks, so try not to access any sensitive information when connected to one.

Safety Tips

• Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Networks (US Federal Trade Commission)
• Staying Safe on Public Wi-Fi (c|net)

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)

One way of ensuring privacy and the security of your data when browsing using a public Wi-Fi network is to use a VPN, or a virtual private network. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel through which you can access information online, away from “prying eyes.” This protects your privacy and ensures security.

• How—and Why—You Should Use a VPN Any Time You Hop on the Internet (Tech Hive)

Passwords and Encryption

Passwords are your first line of defence against external intruders. Complex passwords that are eight characters or longer and include a combination of upper/lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are a great first step for keeping your information secure. Interested in checking the security of your passwords? Take a look at “How Secure Is My Password?”

• Two-factor authentication, or two-step authentication, is a login process where the user is asked to provide two authentication points, such as a password and a code shared through a text message. Two-factor authentication enhances login security.
• Biometrics such as iris scanning, facial recognition, voice recognition, and fingerprinting are yet another way of securing your devices, but they have their own security issues. Read the current issues with biometrics in “How Biometric Authentication Poses New Challenges to Our Security and Privacy.”
• Encryption scrambles data so that it becomes unreadable to those without a public key, “given by your computer to any computer that wants to communicate securely with it”. Encryption makes information secure as it is transmitted in code, and appears to those without the key as a random series of letters and numbers.

Internet of Things (IoT) and Security

As of writing this (28 October)  there were 10 billion things connected to the internet in the world. Maybe you are a proud owner of one or more of those things. Fitness and health trackers, smart TVs, video game consoles, voice activated assistants, smart thermostats, connected baby monitors, networked security cameras, and cars are just a few examples of what comprises the Internet of Things (IoT).

Every device connected to a network is open to security threats. Have you heard of hackers taking control of a car, or speaking to a baby through an unsecured baby monitor? How about the flaw in voice assistant Alexa, which turned Amazon Echo into a recording device? Learn about the security implications of the Internet of Things so that you don’t become its next victim.

Defamation

This section introduces defamation which also applies to our behaviour online. How we conduct ourselves online, in the virtual world, can have some very serious real-world consequences.

(From JGS.ie)

The Defamation Act 2009 provides the bulk of defamation law in Ireland. The Act defines a defamatory statement as one which injures a person’s reputation in the eyes of reasonable people. The Act also stipulates that to successfully prove defamation, one must be shown that the defamatory statement:

1. was published;
2. referred to the person alleging defamation; and
3. was false.

Defamation applies to all forms of communication – be it in print or verbal. It also covers all forms of online communication, including Facebook posts or comments, tweets, Snapchat posts, blog posts or comments, or reviews on platforms such as Google, TripAdvisor and Airbnb. Defamatory statements made in Whatsapp groups can also be considered publication for the purposes of Defamation. For more see John Gaynor Solicitors for an easy-to-read breakdown.

Also more information and news articles at Defamation topic at The Journal.ie

Tips to Avoid Libel

Citations and Credits

Written by Jennifer Peters, with contributions from Joseph Chan and Noé Chagas.

Harassment

In this section you’ll learn about online harassment, including cyberbullying. The section will give you an overview of what harassment is, when harassment is a crime, and resources for assistance if you or someone you know is experiencing harassment.

What Is Harassment?

“Harassment is a form of discrimination. It involves any unwanted physical or verbal behaviour that offends or humiliates you. Generally, harassment is a behaviour that persists over time. Serious one-time incidents can also sometimes be considered harassment.” During lockdown, nearly a third of young people (10 – 17) reported being the targets of cyberbullying

What Is Cyberbullying?

From the HSE Cyberbullying is a new form of bullying. This form of bullying happens a lot on social media, online forums, text and email. Examples of cyberbullying include:

• abusive messages or slagging on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram
• offensive comments on videos or posts
• spreading rumours online
• hacking into your online accounts
• posting offensive images

Sharing pictures of you without consent is an invasion of your privacy. This is protected by EU law.

Report it to the Gardai. They can help you in getting the online pictures or videos removed.

Ireland has no law on cyber harassment.

Credit: https://www2.hse.ie/wellbeing/mental-health/when-private-photos-end-up-online.html

Related articles

Coco’s Law: ‘Long after we’re gone, her name will still be there’

‘My beautiful Nicole (21) took her own life because of cruel bullies’ – heartbroken mother

More than ever, Europe needs a legal definition for online harassment and other forms of cyber bullying, urges Maria Walsh.

Are You or Someone You Know a Victim of Harassment?

Cyberbullying is defined by as an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using mobile phones or the internet, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend themselves.

In one recent publication by the ABC (Anti Bullying Centre at DCU), cyberbullying victimisation in Ireland was found to range from 9- 14% in primary and post-primary schools.

The invasive nature of a cyberbullying incident in that it can happen in one’s own home and the potential for a larger audience, can contribute to increased levels of shame, embarrassment, humiliation and a feeling of a lack of control for the victim.

It can also make it more difficult to prove a cyberbullying incident, as identities can be kept anonymous and there are often no witnesses to the initial posting or sharing of the photo, video or information.

(Anti Bullying Centre at DCU)

Tips to Avoid Online Harassment

• Know your rights. No one deserves to be harassed, online or offline.
• Consider your words and actions.
• Sharing personal, sensitive, or intimate content that was given to you in confidence can hurt others. Your words and actions have a great impact on others even if you are not face-to-face. Information can be shared quickly and easily online so may be sent to many more people than you intended.
• Know your school’s code of conduct.
• Most schools have anti-harassment policies that include protection from online harassment.
• Know your workplace policies.
• Many employers have anti-harassment policies.

Health and Wellness

This section explores the effects of digital habits on your mental and physical health. Included here are tools and techniques for examining personal digital use, identifying warning signs, and making changes that benefit your health and wellness.

Ergonomics

People who do continuous, intensive computer work, such as data entry, for prolonged periods are at increased risk of developing a number of health problems. These include: visual fatigue, headaches, upper limb musculoskeletal injuries (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome), and back pain.

Desk Set-Up

• Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor (or on a footrest), and your thighs roughly parallel to the floor.
• Your chair should be fully adjustable and provide lumbar support.
• The top of the monitor should be in line with your eyes at about arm’s-length distance.
• Your elbows should be at roughly 90 degrees when using the keyboard and mouse, with your wrists extending straight from the forearm. Use a wrist rest or armrest so your wrists do not dip down.
• Make sure your lighting is adequate, with no glare on the screen. Anti-glare screen protectors are available for your monitor.
• Consider the benefits of a stand-up desk.

Task Design

• Take short brisk walks throughout the day. Besides improving your physical health, this will help relieve stress and improve concentration.
• Try using the mouse with your non-dominant hand for a while. This will cut down on RSI (repetitive strain injury) risk—and it’s good for your brain!
• Do gentle stretches regularly throughout the day.
• “Stretch” your eyes once in a while. Focus on a distant object for thirty seconds, and then on  mid-range object for thirty seconds.
• Use a customizable app, such as BreakTaker, that will remind you to take a walk, stretch, or exercise your eyes.

Smartphone Habits and Mental Health

Sleep

Current research has shown that the interactive use of a smartphone, computer, or video game console in the hour before bedtime increases the likelihood of both reported difficulty falling asleep and having unrefreshing sleep. The same effect is not noted for watching videos or listening to music, which are characterized as passive technology use.

These studies also report that people who leave their phone ringer on while sleeping (mostly young adults and adolescents) report being awakened by the phone, and having difficulty returning to sleep. Even if the ringer is turned off, people may wake spontaneously and check or use a device before returning to sleep. This supports the view that texting or otherwise engaging with your phone is an arousing activity that is incompatible with sleep.

Additionally, the blue light emitted by computing devices affects levels of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone that regulates the body’s natural clock, or circadian rhythm. Disruptions to your circadian rhythm can cause fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, and an overall decrease in mental functions. Students who feel they must use their computer at night can use an app such as f.lux, which will adjust the light from the screen to match their local level of daylight in real-time.

Memory, Mood, and Muse

Our online habits can affect the way our brains function and consolidate memories. Typical online behaviour involves performing quick searches and jumping quickly from page to page, while responding to messages and notifications that each set us off on yet another tangent. This feels good because human brains release dopamine as a reward for finding new information. However, as Nicholas Carr states,

Living in this perpetual state of distraction/interruption … crowds out more contemplative, calmer modes of thinking” that are necessary for memory consolidation, learning, and knowledge synthesis (Epipheo, 2013).

This constant consumption of content jeopardizes creativity, innovation, and higher-order thinking. In our attempts to prevent “boredom,” we immediately pull out our phone to fill any spare sliver of time, thus preventing the mind from the critical processes of reflection and daydreaming, which are not only relaxing, but are also known to lead to new insights and ideas.  Additionally, the behaviour of constantly checking social media and constantly consuming content has been linked, in several studies, to higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Internet Addiction

Addictive behaviours around Internet use include:

• A preoccupation with online activities that interferes with real-world social or occupational functioning.
• The experience of withdrawal symptoms (e.g., irritability, trouble sleeping, cravings) when attempting to reduce the activity.
• Hiding or lying about the amount of time you spend online.
• Being dependent on Internet activities to escape from negative feelings.

Internet habits may be associated with other “behavioural addictions” such as shopping or pornography, but gambling disorder is currently the only behavioural addiction in the DSM-5.

Internet addiction is not considered a distinct mental disorder, as it lacks some criteria of conventionally recognized addictions and may be a symptom or manifestation of other, existing disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by the American Psychiatric Association has recommended Internet gaming disorder for further study.

Techniques for Adjusting Smartphone Habits

Self-Awareness

Take a day or two to track how often you actually check your phone (most people greatly underestimate the number of times). Keep a log of how you are using your smartphone: What makes you reach for your phone (are you lonely, bored, feeling self-conscious)? What sites or functions are you spending your time on? Use paper and pen, or an app such as BreakFree. Once you have identified your triggers, reflect on why and how you have developed these habits. Are there underlying issues you seek to resolve or ignore by spending time on your phone? Think about ways you could benefit from using your time differently.

Set Goals and Limits

Set specific goals and develop a timeline that will work for you, using incremental progress (e.g., start by cutting out your smartphone use  15 minutes before bed; gradually increase this to one hour). Set boundaries of time and place that align with your goals (e.g., on weekday mornings, I will spend only 20 minutes on social media; I won’t use my phone at the dinner table or on the bus).

Try This

• Change the settings on your phone and go through your applications to turn off notifications that you don’t really need.
• Adjust your mindset: accept that you can’t keep up with all breaking news or gossip; you don’t need to comment on every post, or respond to every message right away.
• Play the phone stack game when at a get-together with friends & family.
• Tell your friends and family that you’re cutting down and ask for their support. Maybe they will join you in the endeavour.

Digital Health and Wellness Tips

Check your desk: Assess your workstation. Small changes can make a big difference in your comfort.

Sleep tech-free: Experts recommend that you eliminate smartphone use in the hour before bed, and avoid charging your phone in the bedroom.

Get mindful with your mobile: Is real life passing you by while you check your phone and scroll endlessly? Taking a day or two to track your mobile habits will illuminate any areas of concern.

Never text while driving! Not only is it extremely dangerous, it’s against the law. If you are a pedestrian, pay attention to your surroundings instead of your phone; don’t text while crossing the street!

References

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Ronson, J. (2015, February 12). How one stupid tweet Blew up Justine Sacco’s life. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tweet-ruined-justine-saccos-life.html?_r=0

Gradisar, Michael, Amy Wolfson, Allison Harvey  et al. “Sleep and Technology Use of Americans (2011 Poll Findings).” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 9, no. 12 (November 2013): pp. 1291- 1299.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836340/pdf/jcsm.9.12.1291.pdf

United Nations. (n.d.). International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx

Schmerler, Jessica. “Q&A: Why is Blue Light before Bedtime Bad for Sleep?” Scientific American (September 2015). Retrieved from  https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/q-a-why-is-blue-light-before-bedtime-bad-for-sleep/

Epipheo. (2013, May 6). What the internet is doing to our brains [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/cKaWJ72x1rI

American Psychological Association. “APA’s Survey Finds that Constantly Checking Electronic Devices Linked to Significant Stress.” (February 2017). Retrieved  from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/02/checking-devices.aspx

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Mobile Device Addiction Linked to Depression, Anxiety.” Science Daily. (March 2016). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160302121325.htm

Smith, Melinda, Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal. “Smartphone Addiction: Tips for Breaking Free of Compulsive Smartphone Use.” Helpguide.org (July, 2018). https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/smartphone-and-internet-addiction.htm

“How to Beat an Addiction to Cell Phones.” WikiHow.com Retrieved from http://www.wikihow.com/Beat-an-Addiction-to-Cell-Phones on August 15, 2017.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition: DSM-5. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.. http://psychiatryonline.org/