Many of us know an anti-vaxxer or a selfie-obsessed narcissist who clutters our social feeds; an online conspiracy theorist or a child whose face is buried in a smartphone. Some of us even live with one. How do we pull these people back from the brink of a digital abyss? In this compelling account, researcher Jordan Guiao reveals what happens when we fall down the rabbit hole of online addiction and radicalisation. He speaks to COVID-19 ‘freedom fighters,’ QAnon conspiracists, social media egoists, online gamers, and men’s rights activists, tracing their path into obsession and how they found their way out. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, and the latest research on addiction, he prompts us to ask: how can we use the tools that connect us to stop isolating us? And what should our governments do to protect us? In an age of online outrage and social media schisms, where Big Tech tracks our every click, it is time for a conversation about how to use the internet safely and for social good. Let’s stop the disconnect and create an online world we can all be proud of.
Author(s): Jordan Guiao
Publisher: Monash University Publishing
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 271
City: Melbourne
Cover
Praise
About this Book
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Introduction
1. The Online Conspiracy Theorist
2. The Freedom Fighter
3. The Social Media Narcissist
4. The Hateful Troll
5. The Dating App Pest
6. The Screen Addict
7. The Naive Futurist
Conclusion
Acknowledgements
Resources
Notes
About the Author
