Digital Money Life — Why so much online is 'free', and who really pays.
When a service is free, your attention and data are usually the product, sold to advertisers who fund it.
Features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and notifications are engineered to keep you using the app longer, since more engagement means more ad revenue.
Attention as a scarce resource: You only have so many hours, so countless apps and ads compete fiercely for your limited focus, which is what makes it valuable.
Turning off nonessential notifications and setting limits helps you direct your attention on purpose instead of being pulled along.
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