Have you ever found yourself checking your phone for no real reason? Or scrolling on social media far longer than you wanted or planned to? Or feeling frustrated with an app that tries to pressure you into giving up your time, data, or money? These frustrating user experiences are no accident; they are the product of attention-economy designs that enable platforms to profit at their users’ expense. As a result of these common design tactics, there is increasing scrutiny on the impact of interactive technologies on users of all ages—and on children and teens in particular. In this talk, I will describe the designs that young people encounter every day and the impact of these designs on users’ behavior and experiences. I will also describe my lab’s work to invent alternatives—together with children, teens, and families—that dial down the pressure, respect users’ intentions, and help people of all ages thrive.
| 11:45am - 12:15pm: | Bring your own lunch and community socializing. |
| 12:15pm - 1:15pm: | Presentation with Q&A. Available hybrid via Zoom. |
| 1:30pm - 2:15pm: | Student meeting with speaker, held in CSE2/Gates 371. Students will walk to this from the seminar. |
Alexis Hiniker is an Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Washington Information School where she builds and evaluates systems to demonstrate how technology can help young people thrive. She has published more than 70 peer-reviewed papers, which have been featured in mainstream media outlets like The New York Times, TIME Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more. Her research has been cited in multiple U.S. state and federal congressional sessions, and she has provided subject-matter expertise on manipulative designs to the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the European Commission. She is a Jacobs Foundation Early Career Fellow, a Google Research Scholar, a senior advisor to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and a recipient of the SIGCHI Societal Impact Award.