Is Technology Making Us Sick?: A primer for the 21st century

Description

The Big Idea shortlisted for series design in the British Design and Production Awards Modern technology has enhanced our lives in numerous ways - we can now communicate in real time with friends and colleagues around the world, and do our shopping and banking without leaving home. But, as technology crowds further into our personal lives, is it doing us more harm than good? Are we becoming anxious, depressed and socially isolated, unaware of the manipulating influence of algorithms designed to keep us engaged and to filter the picture of the world we see? Has our online gaming or gambling unwittingly developed into a disturbing addiction? This rigorous and insightful volume assesses the impact of our increased screen time and daily interactions with personal technology on our individual choices, our relationships, and our mental and physical health, and suggests how best to mitigate any adverse effects.

Ian Douglas has written widely on science, technology, health, child development and the ways in which they all collide. He spent many years at the Telegraph writing on these topics and as digital development editor. He also ran the website for the British Library and was head of digital at the Spectator. Matthew Taylor is Chief Executive of the RSA, a 250-year old British institution devoted to enriching society through ideas and action to deliver a 21st-century enlightenment. A writer, public speaker and broadcaster, he has written widely on policy, politics, public service reform and cultural theory, and frequently appears on Newsnight, The Daily Politics, and Radio 4's Today and The Moral Maze. He was previously General Secretary and Chief Executive of the Institute for Public Policy Research, Britain's leading think tank.