I read a study that said 72% of people feel watched by their own phone

I found it in a report from a university last month, and it made me realize my own constant phone checking is partly because I think it knows what I want. It feels like a weird loop where the app learns from my worry, which makes me worry more. Does this tracking actually help us, or does it just create a nervous habit we can't break?

3 comments

3 Comments

parkerbrown11d ago

Yeah, that "one more thing to fixate on" part is it exactly. It just feeds the worry. Helps the company more than you.

phoenixw1111d ago

Man, I saw this article about how fitness apps track your sleep. It said the constant data can make people more stressed about resting, not less. So you check your phone to see your sleep score, and that blue light messes up your next night. It's supposed to help you get better, but it just gives you one more thing to fixate on. Does that kind of tracking ever actually make people healthier, or is it just another source of anxiety?

linda11411d ago

My old Fitbit used to buzz me awake for a "sleep goal" at 5am. I'd stare at the red "poor" score and feel tired all day before even getting up. I stopped wearing it to bed and just focus on keeping my phone out of the bedroom now. The data just made me worry about something I can't fully control.