Network Effect: Waste Your Life

Written by Sam Bishins. Edited by Ava Nederlander.

Technology and You
Jul 28, 2017 · 2 min read

We are three days into our session, and today—July 26—had to be the most frightening day.

Our visitor today was Greg Hochmuth. He was the person who created Instagram for Android and recently finished a special project called Networkeffect.io.

Networkeffect.io is a very strange way to show how we are wasting our lives. The website is a creepy demonstration of actions that are being performed by others around the world in the given amount of time—activities that could be occupying your time instead of social media.

As we looked through the website, we were forced to think about how we use social media apps, like Snapchat, and how we are wasting our lives on these apps and sites too. A lot of us teens are focused on keeping up with our “streaks.” Snapchat gives you a 7 minute preview of what other people are doing throughout those 7 minutes that you are wasting your time using social media or watching that site.

We all dedicate so much time to Snapchat and Instagram when we could be exploring our world around us.

On Networkeffect.io, in my perspective, I see that we are all wasting our time. That was the significance of the heartbeat on the video.

Snapchat gives the communication between it all. Having scores and streaks is the way that they hook you. It is a giant game that makes you compete to have the highest score. Every snap is one heartbeat of your life that you are wasting.

Innovation and Impact

Student work from the School of the New York Times Summer Academy

Technology and You

Written by

Innovation and Impact

Student work from the School of the New York Times Summer Academy

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