Privacy Literacy: From Doomscrolling to Digital Wellness

Abstract

Personal technology use can significantly impact wellness. The transition to widespread remote learning, working, and socializing during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated society’s reliance on technology. This article presents a case study of how the authors applied their privacy scholarship to offer a responsive learning experience for students concerning the social implications of the pandemic. The article also explores the authors’ unique approach to digital wellness, which seeks to align wellness goals and habits regarding technology while placing a special emphasis on privacy, particularly information asymmetries, attention engineering, and the hidden harms of invasive data collection.