An in-depth article in the Guardian interviews several technologists who are now distancing themselves from some of the very products they've created, out of ethical concerns that those products are manipulating people. "There is growing concern that as well as addicting users, technology is contributing toward so-called 'continuous partial attention,' severely limiting people's ability to focus, and possibly lowering IQ," the report states. Designing features to hook users is part of what some call "the attention economy," and may, in part, be causing a "devastating impact on our political system," the report states. Though designs such as the "like" button or red notifications on social networks help drive engagement and revenue, there appears to be larger secondary impacts that are affecting democracy, the technologists point out. Editor's Note: Next week, P.S.R. will include a breakout session, Privacy by Design: Getting the Buy-In from Designers, to explore how to get buy-in from technologists doing the real work of privacy on the ground.
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