Designed to Keep You Hooked: Kids, AI, and Reclaiming Our Attention

with Emily Tavoulareas,

What happens when the tools designed to make life easier begin shaping how we think, learn, parent, and spend our time?

In this episode of Consequence of Habit, JT sits down with technologist and The Home Screen creator Emily Tavoulareas to examine how social media and artificial intelligence are changing our habits and sense of agency. Emily draws on two decades in technology to explain how digital products are deliberately designed to keep us engaged and why parents need more than simple rules or screen-time limits.

They discuss helping children understand persuasive design, the value of friction in learning and growth, and why using AI to avoid the difficult parts of writing may also undermine thinking itself. This conversation offers a grounded look at how families and individuals can make more intentional choices, reclaim their attention, and build healthier relationships with technology.