Your Brain On Smartphones

Summary

The video explores how smartphones, through constant dopamine-triggering feedback loops, can impact our brains, leading to potential memory shrinkage, addiction, and altered cognitive function. It delves into the effects of smartphone use on memory, stress levels, and cognitive abilities, citing studies that show negative impacts like reduced hippocampus size and lower gray matter volumes. The video also discusses the role of algorithms in creating a virtual reality that keeps users hooked. However, it offers practical solutions to mitigate these effects, such as exercising, limiting social media use, and choosing physical media for reading. It concludes by emphasizing that despite the potential risks, the power to change our habits lies within us.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Smartphones exploit human tendencies to seek feedback, which is linked to the release of dopamine in the brain, potentially leading to desensitization and detachment from the real world.
• 📵 The presence of a smartphone in a room, even turned off, can impair cognitive functioning, affecting memory, stress levels, and the ability to focus.
• 📈 The iPhone revolutionized mobile technology, introducing a touch interface and apps, but also ushered in an era of constant connectivity and dopamine-triggering algorithms.
• 🧐 Early warnings about the potential impact of smartphones on brain function were dismissed, but over time, research has confirmed that heavy smartphone use can alter brain circuits and cognitive abilities.
• 🧩 Overreliance on smartphones for memory tasks can reduce the size of the hippocampus, affecting memory and increasing the risk of mental health issues.
• 🚫 Multitasking with smartphones is often ineffective and can hinder the ability to think deeply and form long-term memories.
• 📉 Smartphone addiction is real, with studies showing that heavy users experience anxiety and cognitive decline when their phones are out of reach.
• 📚 Reading comprehension is lower when reading from a screen compared to paper, and the presence of a smartphone can further reduce focus and problem-solving abilities.
• 🔁 Smartphone notifications can induce a state of constant stress and fear, affecting the brain's decision-making and emotional control centers.
• 🌐 The way we consume news is heavily influenced by smartphone algorithms, which can create echo chambers and reinforce biases.
• 📱 Switching to a 'dumb phone' can lead to increased presence, focus, and creativity, but some users find it difficult due to the loss of convenience and connectivity.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video 'Cold Fusion' discussing?

The video focuses on how smartphones and their algorithms exploit human tendencies to seek feedback, leading to the release of dopamine in the brain, and the potential negative effects of this on memory, stress levels, cognitive function, and society as a whole.

How do video games and social networking sites use feedback loops to engage users?

Video games and social networking sites use feedback loops to engage users by triggering the release of dopamine in the brain, creating a sense of reward and satisfaction that encourages continued interaction and use.

What is the potential impact of smartphones on our cognitive functioning, according to the script?

The script suggests that the mere presence of a smartphone in a room can impair cognitive functioning, including memory, focus, and problem-solving abilities, even when the phone is switched off.

What is the term used to describe the fear of being without one's phone?

The term used to describe the fear of being without one's phone is 'nomophobia'.

How does the video suggest smartphones may affect the size of the hippocampus in the brain?

The video suggests that excessive smartphone use can reduce the size of the hippocampus, particularly in young developing brains, which may lead to a higher risk of depression, schizophrenia, and dementia.

What is the term used to describe the phenomenon where the presence of a smartphone can lower one's ability to focus, remember, and solve problems?

The term used to describe this phenomenon is 'brain drain'.

How does the video address the issue of multitasking and its effects on cognitive health?

The video explains that attempting to multitask can hinder the ability to think deeply and complexly, create a false sense of urgency, and prevent the brain's ability to transfer information into long-term storage, ultimately harming cognitive health.

What is the term for the phenomenon where smartphone notifications train our brains to be in a constant state of fear and stress?

The term for this phenomenon is not explicitly mentioned in the script, but it describes a Pavlovian response to smartphone notifications.

What is the suggested solution to mitigate the negative effects of smartphone use on memory and cognitive function?

The video suggests solutions such as regular exercise to increase gray matter and memory, avoiding overuse of social media, stopping multitasking, reading physical media instead of using a phone, and limiting phone use for memory tasks where possible.

How does the video discuss the role of social media in smartphone addiction?

The video discusses the role of social media in smartphone addiction by highlighting features like pull-to-refresh, infinite scrolling, and autoplay that exploit the pleasure of anticipating rewards and trigger dopamine spikes, leading to addictive behaviors.

What is Ground News, and how does it aim to help readers navigate news bias and misinformation?

Ground News is a website and app that provides an objective way to read the news by offering a visual breakdown of political bias, factuality, and ownership of sources reporting on a story, backed by ratings from independent news monitoring organizations.

Outlines

00:00

📱 The Impact of Smartphones on Human Brain and Behavior

The video discusses how smartphones exploit human tendencies for feedback, leading to dopamine release and potential desensitization. It highlights the ubiquity of feedback loops in modern technology and their influence on cognitive function. The script explores the idea that overuse of smartphones might change the brain's structure and function, affecting memory, stress levels, and cognitive abilities. It also raises concerns about the potential societal implications of these changes. Historical context is provided by referencing the launch of the first iPhone in 2007 and the subsequent rapid integration of smartphones into daily life. The video promises to delve into the effects of smartphones on memory, addiction, cognitive function, and stress.

05:01

🧠 The Effects of Smartphones on Memory and Cognitive Health

This paragraph examines the impact of smartphone use on memory, referencing a study that suggests excessive use can reduce the size of the hippocampus, a key brain area for memory and learning. It also mentions other research findings that link chronic smartphone use to lower gray matter volumes in specific brain regions, which may increase the risk of mental health disorders. The paragraph suggests that relying on devices for memory can weaken cognitive abilities and that even the presence of a phone can impair cognitive functioning. Strategies to combat these effects, such as regular exercise and using memory independently of smartphones, are proposed.

10:01

🔄 The Addictive Nature of Smartphones and Their Impact on Stress

The script delves into the concept of addiction associated with smartphones, introducing the term 'nomophobia' to describe the fear of being without one's phone. It discusses a study that shows increased anxiety and decreased comprehension when smartphone access is denied. The paragraph also addresses the rise in average mobile screen time and the neuroimaging research that indicates excessive use can weaken brain networks responsible for attention and impulse control. The potential widespread effects on billions of smartphone users, including developing brains, are considered, along with the creators' concerns about the impact of their inventions.

15:01

📚 The Impact of Smartphones on Cognitive Function and Reading Comprehension

This section of the script discusses the effects of smartphone use on cognitive function, including a study that found reading comprehension declines when reading from a screen. It also touches on the 'brain drain' effect, where the mere presence of a smartphone in the same room can reduce one's ability to focus, remember, and solve problems. The paragraph suggests that the human brain prioritizes information processing and that the presence of a smartphone competes for cognitive resources. An experiment is highlighted, showing that participants performed better on tasks when their phones were out of the room, regardless of whether they were visible or powered on.

20:02

🤳 The Influence of Smartphones on Stress and the Role of Ground News

The final paragraph addresses how smartphones are affecting human biology and stress levels, with notifications causing a constant state of fear and stress. It explains the physiological process behind this stress response and how it can lead to emotional regulation issues. The paragraph also discusses the impact of social media information, such as the creation of hypochondriacs and the role of algorithms in creating echo chambers. It introduces Ground News, a platform designed to provide objective news by displaying political bias, factuality, and ownership information, encouraging critical thinking and breaking out of online echo chambers.

📵 Personal Experiences with Ditching Smartphones for Dumb Phones

The script concludes with personal testimonials from individuals who have switched from smartphones to dumb phones. It presents a range of experiences, from those who found enjoyment and increased presence in their lives without smartphones to others who found the switch challenging due to the loss of convenience and connectivity. The paragraph ponders the broader implications of smartphone overuse on society and invites viewers to reflect on their own smartphone usage, suggesting practical steps to mitigate potential negative effects.

📱 Conclusion: The Re-Wiring Effects of Smartphones on the Brain

The video wraps up by summarizing the key points made about how smartphones are re-wiring our brains. It invites viewers to subscribe for more content on science, technology, and business, and encourages them to share their thoughts on the topic. The host, Toogo, signs off, leaving viewers with the message that while smartphones have significant impacts, the power to manage these effects still lies with the individual.

Keywords

💡Dopamine

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with reward and pleasure centers in the brain. In the context of the video, it is highlighted as a chemical that is released when we receive feedback, such as through video games or social media, creating a feedback loop that can be addictive. The script mentions that these feedback loops exploit our natural tendencies to seek out feedback, which can lead to desensitization and detachment from the real world.

💡Cognitive functioning

Cognitive functioning refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. The video discusses how the mere presence of a smartphone can negatively impact cognitive functioning, even when the phone is switched off. This suggests that the constant availability and distraction of smartphones can interfere with our ability to concentrate and think deeply.

💡Smartphones

Smartphones are mobile devices that combine features of a mobile phone and a computer, allowing users to access the internet, send emails, take photos, and use various applications. The video explores the impact of smartphones on human behavior and brain function, citing research that suggests overuse can lead to changes in memory, stress levels, and cognitive abilities. The video also discusses the potential societal implications of widespread smartphone use.

💡Hippocampus

The hippocampus is a region of the brain that plays a crucial role in memory and learning. The script mentions a study that found excessive smartphone use can reduce the size of the hippocampus, particularly in young developing brains. This suggests that reliance on smartphones for memory tasks could potentially have negative effects on memory capacity and learning.

💡Gray matter

Gray matter refers to the parts of the brain composed mainly of neuron cell bodies, as opposed to white matter, which is composed of nerve fibers. The video cites research indicating that chronic smartphone users have lower gray matter volumes in specific brain regions, which could be linked to a higher risk of mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, and dementia.

💡Multitasking

Multitasking is the act of performing multiple tasks simultaneously. The video script refutes the idea that humans can effectively multitask, stating that only a small percentage of people can do it well. It warns against the practice of 'continual partial attention,' such as checking phones during conversations or scrolling through social media while watching TV, which can harm cognitive health and hinder the ability to form deep and complex thoughts and memories.

💡Addiction

Addiction, in the context of the video, refers to the compulsive engagement with smartphones, despite negative consequences. The script discusses 'nomophobia,' which is the fear of being without one's phone, and how studies show that heavy smartphone users can experience increased anxiety and decreased comprehension when their phones are out of reach. The video also touches on how excessive smartphone use can weaken brain networks related to attention and impulse control.

💡Cognitive function

Cognitive function encompasses a range of mental processes such as perception, memory, thinking, and problem-solving. The video presents research findings that suggest reading comprehension declines when reading from a screen and that the presence of a smartphone in the same room can impair focus, memory, and problem-solving abilities, illustrating the potential negative impact of technology on cognitive performance.

💡Stress

Stress is a physiological and psychological response to a perceived threat or demand. The script explains how smartphone notifications can condition users to a constant state of fear and stress, similar to Pavlov's dogs. It describes how the anticipation of rewards from smartphone use can trigger neurotransmitter floods, potentially leading to the prefrontal cortex shutting down and inducing stress and panic.

💡Social media

Social media refers to online platforms that allow users to create and share content or participate in social networking. The video discusses the addictive design of social media apps, which can exploit the brain's reward system and lead to compulsive use. It also highlights the potential negative effects of excessive social media use, such as increased anxiety and the formation of echo chambers that reinforce biases.

💡Ground News

Ground News is a website and app mentioned in the video that aims to provide readers with an objective way to consume news. It offers a visual breakdown of political bias, factuality, and source ownership for every story, backed by ratings from independent news monitoring organizations. The video promotes Ground News as a tool to combat misinformation and bias, encouraging critical thinking and a broader perspective on news consumption.

Highlights

Feedback loops in technology exploit our natural tendencies to seek and want feedback, which is chemically related to dopamine release in the brain.

Excessive smartphone use may lead to desensitization and detachment from the real world, causing people to become callous and crude.

Smartphones can change the way our brains work, with the mere presence of a phone in a room potentially destroying cognitive functioning, even if it's switched off.

The iPhone revolutionized mobile technology by combining a mobile phone, iPod, and internet access into a single device with a touchscreen interface.

Algorithms and apps are designed to keep users engaged by triggering dopamine responses, potentially leading to a 2D virtual reality.

Smartphone use can weaken the circuits needed for in-person interaction and reading non-verbal cues, as noted by UCLA psychiatrist Gary Small in 2008.

Excessive smartphone use has been linked to a reduction in the size of the hippocampus, especially in young developing brains.

Chronic smartphone users have been found to have lower gray matter volumes in specific brain regions, which can be associated with higher risks of depression, schizophrenia, and dementia.

Regular exercise can help increase gray matter and memory, and trying to remember directions without a smartphone can help combat the negative effects on the hippocampus.

Humans cannot effectively multitask; attempting to do so can hinder the ability to think deeply and complexly, and can affect memory accumulation.

Nomophobia, the fear of being without one's phone, is a real phenomenon that can cause anxiety and affect cognitive performance.

Smartphone use is increasing, with the average user checking their phone 96 times per day and spending over 3 hours on their device.

Smartphone notifications can cause a constant state of fear and stress, affecting human biology and potentially leading to health risks.

Reading comprehension declines when reading from a screen compared to paper, and the presence of a smartphone can lower focus and problem-solving abilities.

Ground News offers a platform that provides a data-driven, objective way to read the news, with features to help readers break out of echo chambers.

People who switch to dumb phones often report increased presence and focus, as well as more time for creative hobbies, but some struggle with the lack of features.

There are practical steps that can be taken to mitigate the negative effects of smartphone use, such as exercising, avoiding overuse of social media, and reading physical media.

Transcripts

this video is brought to you by ground

news hi welcome to another episode of

Cold

Fusion we know for a fact that what all

of these systems do every single one is

it exploits our own natural tendencies

in human beings to get and want feedback

and that feedback chemically speaking is

the release of dopamine in your brain

and so what these feedback loops do and

they exist everywhere in Call of Duty in

other video games in social networking

sites they get you to react and I think

that if you get too

desensitized and you need it over and

over and over again then you become

actually detached from the world in

which you live you become callous you

become crude and you live in front of

your screen so we all know the benefits

and usefulness of smartphones they're

amazing a little rectangle in your

pocket that does everything but that

comes with the price there's a growing

body of research that indicates that

smartphones can actually change the the

way our brains work did you know that

just the mere presence of your phone in

a room can destroy your cognitive

functioning even if it's switched off

crazy I know but literal experiments

have proved this in this episode we'll

take a look at how phones affect our

memory stress levels and cognitive

function and also here's a question if

the collective brains of billions of

people on earth have been unknowingly

altered worldwide what does this mean

for society it's not all bad news though

we'll also take a look at how we can

help

ourselves you are watching cold fusion

[Music]

TV in 2007 amst the chaos of the

financial crisis the first iPhone was

launched and we are calling

it

iPhone computer giant Apple says it's

reinvented the phone marrying a mobile

with an iPod giving birth to the iPhone

an iPod a cell phone and a portable

internet all in a little lightweight

package the big attraction here right

now is encased in that plastic tube back

there surrounded by an admiring crowd

it's a Sleek Aluminum and Stainless

Steel creation a cell phone doesn't have

any buttons just a touchcreen it only

had 16 apps and that was it no app store

and nothing else it was relatively

simple by today's standards suddenly

buttons were replaced with a large

responsive touchscreen interface people

could Now swipe tap scroll zoom and

browse the web more efficiently than

they could on a desktop at the time such

features were unheard of although it

looked interesting very few predicted

just how quickly such a small device

could envelop our lives with each

passing year the phones got faster the

features grew and the software

exponentially improved apps became

useful but then came the algorithms and

feeds and before we knew it most of us

had entered a 2d virtual reality a

completely separate reality and view of

the world but through a screen this was

powered by algorithms designed to keep

your attention and apps designed to

trigger the dopamine responses in your

brain it sounds like a sci-fi film when

put that way but we all know this story

by now it was one of the main themes of

the Netflix show the social dilemma a

hmark look into how algorithms rule our

lives and the people that made those

algorithms knew what they were

doing in 2008 when the true impact of

smartphones was still a mystery UCLA

psychiatrist Gary Small began sounding

the caution alarm he was saying that

heavy smartphone use could alter brain

function by weakening the circuits

needed for inperson interaction and

reading non-verbal cues remember the

iPhone was only 1 year old at this time

at the time his claims were called quote

Ing and quote provocative by the science

Community but it still couldn't be

proved fast forward a decade and a half

later and smartphones and their

cognitive effects are being reexamined

but what about the less known stuff what

other effects do smartphones have on the

Mind although there's still much to

learn about the long-term cognitive

impact there is some scientific evidence

that should make us pause if you've ever

felt that Phantom Buzz or feel anxious

when you haven't checked your phone in a

while you don't need an expert to tell

you that there's something strange at

play what exactly are smartphones doing

to our minds and personalities let's

take a look at the research we're going

to cover memory addiction cognitive

function and stress let's break them

down number one memory back in the day

you had to memorize all your friends

numbers or actually listen in Math's

class because your teachers said that

you couldn't carry a calculator 24/7 cab

drivers also back in the day had no GPS

they had to know where they were going

without stopping to check they had to

know all the streets it turns out that

exercising that mental muscle of memory

has given cab drivers physically larger

hippo campire it's the memory center of

the brain but also AIDS in learning and

emotional processing but now today we

heavily rely on our devices as memory

aids but new research suggests that

maybe this isn't a great sign at 2021

study found that excessive smartphone

use can reduce the size of the

hippocampus especially in young develop

brains there's been other studies with

similar findings but unfortunately

there's even more a meta study of MRI

scans of chronic smartphone users found

that they have lower gray matter volumes

in specific regions of the brain this

includes the anterior singulate cortex

orbitofrontal cortex fusiform gyrus and

parahippocampal regions while the

research is still in its early stages

less gray matter usually means a higher

risk of depression schizophrenia and

dementia but remember these are chronic

smartphone uses but on that note the

cost of this might be an enormous

increase in dementia quote the less you

use that mind of yours the less you use

the systems that are responsible for

complicated things like episodic

memories or cognitive flexibility the

more likely it is to develop Dimension

once you stop using your memory it will

get worse which will make you use your

devices more according to Professor

Oliver harded even an overreliance on

GPS's could reduce the density of gray

matter in the brain

to combat the effects of hippocampus

shrinkage regular exercise has shown to

increase gray matter and increase memory

it's also good to try and remember

directions where possible and generally

try to use your memory instead of your

phone where practical and if you still

really just can't put your phone down

apps like hippo camera can help hippoc

camera is a really easyto ous smartphone

application that mimics how the brain

supports memory specific behaviors also

don't do our brains any favors one of

these is attemp to to multitask

interestingly humans multitasking is a

myth only 2.5% of us can do it

effectively Katherine price writes about

this in her book how to break up with

your phone in particular she warns about

the dangers of continual partial

attention it's checking your phone while

mid conversation or scrolling on social

media while watching TV sound familiar

while we do this to attempt to be more

productive it harms our cognitive Health

in fact trying to consistently multitask

can actually hinder your ability to

think deep and complex thoughts it also

can create a false sense of urgency

which prevents our brain's ability to

transfer information into long-term

storage and from here it becomes harder

to accumulate memories in summary every

minute distracted by your phone is a

lost minute in the here and now this can

leave behind a trail of Forgotten

experiences and damage the ability to

formulate deep and complex thoughts and

long-term

memories moving on to number two

addiction now this de detrimental effect

is more commonly known but did you know

that nomophobia is the real fear of

being away from one's phone for heavy

users a study by Dr Larry rosson the

author of The distracted mind revealed

what a lack of smartphone access can do

participants in the experiment were

strapped to sweat and heat monitors as

they read a passage their phones were

Out Of Reach but they could hear text

notifications flooding in the result was

a spike in anxiety and a drop in reading

comprehension and this will affect more

people as we all using our smartphones

more between 2019 and 2023 average

Mobile screen time shot up by 23% from 2

hours and 56 minutes to 3 hours and 46

minutes the average user now checks

their phones 96 times per

day research from a peer-reviewed

medical journal Psychiatry research

neuroimaging confirms that excessive

smartphone use presents itself a lot

like addiction weakening vital brain

networks that control things like paying

attention and stopping inul fores this

leads to withdrawal symptoms and

continued use despite negative

consequences there's a silent epidemic

that we're neglecting one can imagine

the impact albe it to varying degrees on

the 6.84 billion smartphone users

worldwide when you factor in the amount

of developing brains that are using the

devices what will be the end

result as smartphone use increases each

year even the smartphones creators are

questioning the monster that they've

Unleashed Tony Fidel who worked on the

original iPhone team says quote I wake

up in cold sweats every so often

thinking what did we bring to the world

did we really bring a nuclear bomb with

information that can like we see with

fake news blow up people's brains and

reprogram them end quote as a side I've

done a full episode on the story of the

people who created the iPhone if you're

interested but zooming out we can't

blame the phone manufacturers if you've

watched The Social dilemma you would

have seen former Tech employees

expressing a sense of regret regarding

the designs of social media apps we are

increasingly glued to our phones just

look at this 30 seconds we filmed

outside Oxford Circus earlier today all

the white flashes are the phones people

are on so we've left them in that room

we've said we've left a camera on record

to film them getting on and now we're

just going to leave them there and see

how many times they look at their phone

Harry you got your phone out after 3

minutes is that a surprise to you it is

it is a surprise to me actually cuz I I

didn't think I used technology that that

often I didn't think I was that

dependent on it I'm surprised I lost it

4

minutes the role of addictive design in

social media has been well documented

Casino like features like pull to

refresh mimic slot machines and exploit

the pleasure of anticipating rewards and

interestingly this can trigger larger

dopamine spikes than the rewards

themselves there's also infinite

scrolling and autoplay to lull user into

Mindless Behavior but a silver lining is

that since 2018 Apple and Google have

built digital wellbeing features into

their phones to prevent overuse so the

tools are there people just have to use

them number three cognitive function a

2022 study found that our reading

comprehension declines when we read from

a screen even if the text is exactly the

same as it is on paper the chart you see

now shows reading comprehension scores

the red is reading from paper while the

blue is reading from a phone in addition

as mentioned at the top of this episode

The mere presence of your smartphone in

the same room room lowers your ability

to focus remember and solve problems the

phone doesn't even have to be switched

on researchers at the University of

Chicago call this brain drain it happens

because the human brain has a limited

capacity to process information meaning

we have to prioritize what we want to

focus on when your phone is nearby it

competes for cognitive resources and

your brain must work extra hard to

resist its Temptation This sabotages

your concentration on other tasks so

let's look at the experiment it's

remarkable quote the researchers asked

participants to either put their phones

next to them so they were visible like

on a desk nearby and out of sight like

in a bag or pocket or in another room

participants then completed a series of

tasks to test their abilities to process

and remember information their problem

solving and their focus they were found

to perform far better when their phones

were in another room instead of nearby

whether visible powered on or not that

held true even though most of the

participants claimed not to be

consciously thinking about their devices

end quote so it's an effect that happens

even though we don't notice it quite

fascinating and finally number four

stress smartphones aren't just changing

our Behavior they're affecting human

biology and the health risks can get

pretty serious endocrinologist Robert

lustig warns that smartphone

notifications have turned us all into

Pavlov's dogs training our brains to be

in a constant state of fear and stress

here's how it happens one

neurons in the prefrontal cortex are

altered after exposure to a flood of

neurotransmitters one common trigger of

neurotransmitters to flood the brain is

the anticipation of rewards like the UI

on Instagram two this can cause our

prefrontal cortex the brain's

decision-making Hub and emotional

control center to go completely haywire

and even shut down and three when the

prefrontal cortex shuts down the amydala

responsible for emotional regulation

takes over inducing stress and panic

when our prefrontal cortex is overworked

in this state one's self-control can

take a hit then to add to the pile

there's the information that we receive

from social media from Doom scrolling to

the creation of young hypochondriacs on

Tik Tok self diagnosing themselves into

Oblivion the answer is yes you have

trauma procrastination is actually a

short-term coping tool to avoid feeling

anxiety or dread a popular type of video

on Tik Tok is five things you might not

realize were a mental disorder and it's

really gen generic things like biting

your nails or fidgeting or being a

people pleaser I just need to take an

anxiety nap can you wake me up in like

30 minutes I'm like not well in a lot of

this discussion the problem isn't with

the smartphones themselves but social

media use and this was solidified by a

2023 Global study of over 50,000

participants but we have to stay

level-headed there's research to suggest

that about 30 minutes of daily social

media is actually beneficial but going

past about an hour can be detrimental

one of the most most impactful outcomes

of smartphones has been the way we

consume daily news for example when open

AI released GPT 4 last week it might

surprise you how different media covered

the story in different ways take for

example this story on the recent open AI

Reddit content deal the story was

reported on by 55 news outlets this left

leaning headline from Business Insider

frames the story as one regarding Big

Data concerns a right-leaning Outlet

focuses on the political orientation of

Reddit users as well as the monetary

size of the deal so when someone's

scrolling through a news feed that's

tailor made for them with news articles

that confirm their bias they're unlikely

to see the other side of the story

outside of their bubble and this is what

the algorithms of today have created so

it's important to get the whole picture

and that's where today's sponsor ground

news comes in ground news is a website

and app developed by a former NASA

engineer who was on a mission to give

readers an easy datadriven objective way

to read the news every story comes with

a quick visual breakdown of political

bias factuality and the ownership of the

sources reporting all backed by ratings

from three Independent News monitoring

organizations for example let's go back

to that story on the open AI Reddit deal

on ground news everything is organized

to make it easy for you to see all the

details their biased distribution shows

you the political bias of the reporting

Outlets below you can see the factuality

information as well as the ownership

information for this story 31% of

reporting Outlets are owned by media

conglomerate I especially like the blink

feed which highlights stories that are

heavily covered by one side of the

political Spectrum it's important to

utilize critical thinking and break out

of online Echo Chambers if we know where

these views are coming from we're

probably going to be better equipped to

engage in constructive dialogue to those

who hold different views ground news is

a fantastic tool for sifting through the

daily misinformation and bias they

provide all the tools you need to be a

critical thinker today I'm offering 40%

off their Vantage subscription and this

provides unlimited access of all their

amazing features

so subscribe today by going to ground.

news/ coldfusion or click the link in

the video description to get started

thank you now back to the video so what

happens when people break away from

smartphones completely well fortunately

we have a slew of examples from those

who are heavy smartphone users and

decided to ditch them for a dumb phone

the way they describe their experiences

is pretty interesting let's take a quick

look at some testimonials I was not

ready for how much I truly enjoyed this

phone I was present with my kids with my

wife I was able to be reached by friends

and family bit about my experience just

what is it like living without a

smartphone for those of us who grew up

in the '90s I think there's a lot of

nostalgia around that time and for me a

lot of that is about the fact that

nobody had a smartphone or even a cell

phone but I was surprised and excited to

find that I could kind of reconnect with

some of the benefits of that time

through this experiment I've been much

more focused at work because all of my

work now takes place in front of the

computer so I'm much more intentional

and focused when it is actually time to

work I have time for Creative Hobbies

because I'm not scrolling through social

media or news or anything on my phone my

phone doesn't do anything fun and that

means I have time to get bored have you

ever been bored as an adult I don't

think I had until this experiment but

boredom equals creativity but then there

were others and this group wasn't quite

ass sold on the dumb phone idea and

quickly found themselves reverting back

to a smartphone all right so I'm nearly

finished with this 30-day experiment and

if I'm being completely honest I cannot

wait to get back to a smartphone I

entered this experiment really wanting

it to work really wanting to find a

phone that would give me all the tools I

needed while removing the headaches my

smartphone causes but unfortunately I

don't know if I'm ready to make the

switch full time not having a camera the

spotty directions and the clunky typing

are the biggest deal breakers for me

this is the phone that you could

literally only call with which is great

if that's all I needed

but I'd have to be damn confident with

my job security and my friendships

because I could see how easily I could

lose connections and friendships due to

my inability to respond there are more

people giving dumb phones a try so much

so that some call it the anti smartphone

Revolution you can check out my podcast

episode with KY Tang the co-founder of

lightone and I discussed this topic in

depth with him so if you've gotten to

this part of the episode you're probably

in one of three camps one all of this

information is new to you or the second

Camp you've heard some of this before

and learned some new things or even if

you're one of those who have heard all

of this before I think it's important to

remind ourselves but what about the

bigger picture what does all of this

mean it's insane to think that there's

the possibility that hundreds of

millions or even billions of people out

there could have worse memory worse

concentration smaller gray matter and

increased anxiety due to Chronic

smartphone overuse I'm going to ask you

do you think this explains part of the

world we live in today although it all

sounds terrible fortunately there are

very practical things that can be done

as we've talked about number one

exercise two avoid the overuse of social

media three stop multitasking four if

you want to increase comprehension

choose to read physical media instead of

your phone and five if you want to

improve memory limit phone use for

memory tasks where possible at the end

of the day the power is still in our

hands so what's your opinion on all of

this did this speak to you do you think

he use your smartphone too much or do

you think you've got everything under

control I'd love to hear from you in the

comments so anyway that is how your

smartphone is rewiring your brain thanks

for watching hope you learned something

from it if this is your first time

watching feel free to subscribe there's

plenty of interesting stuff on science

technology and business my name is toogo

and youve been watching cold fusion and

I'll catch you again soon for the next

episode cheers guys have a good one

I feel I'm getting older

older the B older

older I feel I'm getting older

older

look feel I'm getting old

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