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Author: Etchells, Pete

Media studies

Published on 8 May 2025 by Little, Brown Book Group (Piatkus Books) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 304 pages
198 x 128 x 22 | 244g

‘A welcome counterpoint to the technopanic that screen time is causing a mental health crisis’ Bruce Hood’A rare mix of trustworthy science, practical advice, and human stories … 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’Punctures some of the most pernicious myths about our smartphone and screen-dominated lives, while offering good advice about how to improve the time we spend with screens … a must-read’ New ScientistMost of us spend a significant part of the day in front of a screen. Our work and social lives play out through our computers, tablets and phones: on email, social media, video conference calls and gaming servers. But what is all this screen time doing to our health, our sleep, and our relationships?Professor Pete Etchells studies the way we use screens, and how they can affect us. In UNLOCKED, he delves into the real science behind the panic about our alleged device addiction and withering attention spans. Armed with the latest research, he reveals how little we have to fear, and the great deal we have to gain, by establishing a more positive relationship with our screens. That begins with asking ourselves some essential questions about how we use them.

Instead of clamouring for us to ditch our devices (before guiltily returning to the same old habits), UNLOCKED is a sustainable, realistic and vital guide to transforming our connection with technology.