Thanks for the response Anthony. Let me see if I can clarify my position.

Yes, I do think advertisers stealing your attention is unjust in principle, but I don’t think businesses or advertisers are evil. I think this attention economy emerged before we had any knowledge of the dramatic effects it can have on the mind. But now we are starting to see evidence of this and we need to adapt.

The consumer surplus is clear and undisputed and these technologies are very useful. I also agree that there are no “contracts” being broken in the current system. But I think it’s unfair for you to ask people to put down their devices and disconnect with the modern world because they value their mental health.

Given the growing evidence of impacts on one’s well-being, I am calling for regulation in how this intimate commodity of attention is used. I think we need to make some new “contracts” which take the humanist perspective into account.