Incredibly well researched and covers a range of topics - including psychopathy - that can be drastically exhibited by the overuse of social media. Definitely gives the reader pause to stop and think how damaging excess use can be.

The only thing I found with the “drama test” in the book is a lot of people I know with Autism, myself and my children included, speak our mind before thinking. We never ever mean to be malicious or hurt anyone, and sometimes are overly honest and it can be interpreted the wrong way. I feel that there should be an annotation in the book that this can be different/an exception if the person is neurodivergent, and that often our brains are going so fast that we accidentally don’t realize we do need to take that moment to breathe and think before speaking. But for most of us who are neurodivergent, it’s never meant maliciously, but is quite common amongst Autistic individuals especially.

Also as a person who has (diagnosed) OCD, I feel it’s also prudent to say not everyone with OCD uses it (- and it was mentioned in the book as one of a group of personality disorders that were noted for people who who like to cause drama -) to cause problems/are people who should be avoided simply because of a diagnosis. Many of us simply have it in regard to excessive hand washing or fear of germs etc., and need to have control over our own environment, rather than that of others. And I feel that was overlooked/we were all accidentally stereotyped into that group when a lot of us have no desire to engage in drama. Whilst those the dangerous personality traits (psychopathy etc.) absolutely should be avoided, I feel it’s unfair to classify people who can often have OCD as a result of severe trauma or anxiety caused by major trauma, (and are often still really lovely people,) into this group. People who have OCD and use it to control others, absolutely, and it’s also important to mention that these people are not those who make up the main demographic of those with OCD.

When talking about rejection sensitivity (dysphoria) she elaborated on the angry people that fall into this category but not the anxious ones. It would have been nice to have had some background on those people, too, so if my children or loved ones struggle with it when they’re older I can identify it and have tools to help them through it.

Also with giving children more autonomy to be unsupervised, I also feel it should be mentioned it should depend on circumstances. For instance our family happens to live in a city that was recently connected with a major child sex trafficking ring. Having two children with Autism who don’t always understand who are safe adults and who aren’t, especially when one of my children likes to bolt without warning, and is fast, whilst I would love to be in a position to do - and hopefully that will change when we soon move to a nearby town that is known to be safer - that our current circumstances do not allow for that. And I don’t believe it makes parents bad or helicopter parents for protecting their children from a genuine threat. Whilst a boy was used as an example for an independent activity, the book didn’t mention that girls and women have a much higher rate of being sexually assaulted or harmed in this way than boys do - especially if they have a disability and cannot advocate for themselves as well as a neurodivergent person can. Whilst I absolutely believe these activities can be beneficial, I believe it is very important to mention that we must be mindful of the statistics, and what works for a neurotypical male child may not be safe for a neurodivergent female or gender fluid/non-binary child.

Aside from these small oversights, otherwise the author has an incredibly compassionate outlook, and is inclusive, liberal, and empathetic in her views towards all demographics of people. Which I love.

Also discusses the importance of parents unplugging to spend more quality time with their kids, and that parent overuse of screens can damage their relationship with their child.

Overall a great book and an important one for every parent to have.

This book is a great resource if you're concerned about screen time it pulls together a lot of research in one place. While I already knew some of it, it's definitely a good primer. I especially appreciated the connection Allen makes between screen overuse and immature behavior it's so true! And it's not all doom and gloom; she offers practical tips for healthier tech habits. I hope this book helps people make better choices. Thanks to NetGalley and Kathleen P. Allen for the ARC

This book is excellent and thoroughly researched, but it's a sobering and deeply concerning read. I appreciated the practical examples and suggestions for healthier digital habits, along with the insightful case studies. This book should be widely read so more people can understand the negative effects of excessive use of digital technology. I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This book has a lot of good information all in one place, supported by research. However, it’s a bit repetitive and disjointed in my opinion. I already knew most of this information, but it’s a good primer for someone who isn’t already aware of the negative impact of over-reliance on screens. I appreciate the way Allen made a connection between how overuse of screens and social media can make even adults act immature and dramatic. I also appreciate that much of what she says is backed up by cited research. Most of all, I’m glad that there are suggestions for how to live in a healthier, more connected way; it’s not just doom-and-gloom. I hope this book and others like it help us to make healthier choices as a society.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kathleen P. Allen for the complimentary eARC. I post this review with my honest opinions.