21/02/2026
How do we defend ourselves from the new plague of “human fracking”?**
A recent *Guardian* essay argues that the attention economy isn’t accidental — it’s **extractive**. Much like environmental fracking, Big Tech uses high-pressure systems to mine human attention for profit, with little regard for long-term harm.
Nearly 70% of the world now owns a smartphone, and people spend close to **half their waking lives** on screens. Digital detoxes and self-regulation have largely failed, while meaningful policy responses remain limited.
The authors suggest we may need a shift as fundamental as the rise of environmentalism — recognising **human attention as a shared, finite resource** worthy of collective protection.
This concern cuts across ideological lines. Many agree something is deeply wrong with a world built on endless scrolling, algorithmic persuasion, and the monetisation of focus — including that of children.
🧠 **Why neurodivergent children are most at risk:**
For children aged 6–16 with ADHD or Autism, attention-extracting algorithms act faster and more destructively, exploiting dopamine-seeking brain wiring and accelerating attention erosion.
A timely and important read.
