There should be a new component in all digital literacy efforts:
Students should be educated on the engineered addiction aspects of these devices and technologies and what they can do take away Tech's entrapment power.
They should receive training, for example, on how features such as the "Like" button were utilized to lure them to these applications and keep them there. By recognizing the manipulating factors of this feature, they can de-elevate its importance and free themselves from its tyranny.
They should be receive specific instruction about how these devices can be exploit them and manipulate them.
They should also receive instruction in how to counter this built-in addiction feature and free themselves from the lure of screens. For example, they could receive instruction on "the notification" and how it is a siren's call to return to the screen. They could learn to limit or turn off all notifications at all times or during specific periods of the day. This would eliminate one major, addictive aspect of the screen and give them control over the device.
Ed Tech should transform digital literacy from being an effort to sanitize Silicon Valley devices and transform students into "good little consumers" of these, into being empowered and critical human beings who decide for themselves when and how these intersect their lives.
This would transform the field of Ed Tech from being a cheerleader for Big Tech, into actually giving children and their parents power of these devices.
Sadly, Ed Tech still sees its primary role as delivering new consumers to these companies.
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