Unlocked

Don't Panic! Written from a personal yet rigorous scientific perspective, Etchells' new book is a welcome counterpoint to the technopanic that screen time is causing a mental health crisis. If there are issues, he argues, then we need to ask better questions -- Bruce Hood, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Bristol University and author of THE DOMESTICATED BRAIN, THE SELF ILLUSION and THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS UNLOCKED is a rare mix of trustworthy science, practical advice, and human stories. Pete Etchells shares some very personal moments from his own life that illuminate his point: that it's a mistake to examine social media, or any of the technology we use, out of its human context. Thoroughly, and sometimes critically, examining all the research on screen time, Professor Etchells doesn't dismiss all worries about its effects, especially on children and teenagers, but he does offer well-founded reassurance, alongside tips for taking back control of our devices. This doesn't make it a dry read though - often funny, and occasionally heartbreaking, I read it in one go, with hardly even a break to check my smartphone! I'm going to recommend it to all the parents I know, and keep it handy for reference next time I see a scary headline about how technology is ruining our lives. -- Timandra Harkness, broadcaster, statistician and author of TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE PROBLEM