One resource has become more and more limited in a society with continual connection and limitless content: human attention.  With digital platforms using advanced technologies to divert our attention, the so-called attention economy has turned our thoughts into battlefields.  These platforms provide new ways to interact and learn, but they also bring with them a host of psychological, social, and developmental difficulties.

 Although the topics covered are pertinent to the whole country, this essay focuses on the attention economy's manifestations in the Somali Regional State, with particular emphasis on juvenile behavior, mental health, and digital distraction.

 Particularly among young people in urban areas like Jigjiga, Degahbur, Kebridahar, Gode, Doloado Ado, and others, these changes are now influencing daily life in the Somali region, where mobile and internet penetration has grown significantly over the last ten years, from slightly less than 5% in 2010 to more than 35% by 2024.

 The attention economy theory was developed by economist and psychologist Herbert A. Simon and is predicated on the straightforward tenet that "a poverty of attention results from a wealth of information."  Attention is not just valued in the digital era, but it is also cash.  With ad-based business models that prioritize interaction, social media sites, search engines, and entertainment applications fiercely fight for it.

 You create more data, you see more advertisements, and these platforms make more money the longer you remain online.  The client is not you.  The product is you.

 The Science of Mind-Hacking
 Anecdotal accounts from educators in Jigjiga city and other large Somali cities suggest that late-night social media usage, especially on Facebook and TikTok, has been negatively impacting student performance.  Despite the lack of hard evidence, parents' and educators' views indicate that young people are spending more and more hours each day on mobile devices, often reading non-educational material.  This demonstrates the critical need for focused study to comprehend the time utilization, behavioral trends, and mental health effects linked to the region's increasing reliance on cellphones and digital platforms.

 It's no coincidence that contemporary technology is so addicting.  It is the result of the field of behavioral design, which combines user interface engineering, psychology, and neuroscience.  Tristan Harris, a former Google Design Ethicist, claims that platforms purposefully use "persuasive design" to take advantage of psychological weaknesses.

 One of the most popular tactics is unlimited scroll, which removes halting signals and promotes constant, often thoughtless consumption.  Variable payouts, which are based on slot machine models and encourage obsessive checking habits, are another strategy.  By inducing dopamine reactions and capitalizing on FOMO, push notifications further strengthen engagement.  Furthermore, likes, shares, and retweets are examples of social validation loops that play on our innate desire for approval and acceptance.

 These methods change behavior in addition to drawing attention.  Your time, ideas, and even feelings are essentially designed to further the objectives of the corporation.

 Users to the Used
 Many users in the Somali area are not aware of how their data is collected and sold since rural populations have low levels of digital literacy.  Youth usage of social media has also contributed to a rise in false information, with rumors proliferating quickly around elections or times of crisis.  Unverified postings, for instance, increased distrust and terror between opposing groups during the 2021 regional election and the recent clan conflicts in Dawa, Ale, which have since been settled.

 We run the danger of losing what makes us most human as we increasingly delegate our thought processes, judgments, and sense of value to algorithm-driven platforms.

 The fact that users are being utilized more and more is among the most disturbing facts.  Real-time manipulation of your digital surroundings, preference prediction, and tracking are all done by algorithms.  Frequently without significant permission, this personal information is subsequently sold or utilized to improve future engagement tactics.

 Sensationalism, indignation, and divisiveness are encouraged by this system.  Because emotionally charged information attracts higher participation, MIT research demonstrates that fake news spreads on social media far more quickly than factual ones.  Truth, subtlety, and decency are all sacrificed in the sake of attention.

 Impact on Human Agency and Mental Health
 According to mental health specialists at Jigjiga University Hospital, an increasing percentage of students are suffering from anxiety and sleep issues that are connected to excessive phone usage.  According to a brief research done in 2022 by the Somali Region Health Bureau, 42% of public secondary school pupils said that their use of social media had left them feeling "mentally exhausted."  These regional numbers are consistent with more general trends seen globally.

 With increased rates of anxiety and despair among youth associated with heavy social media usage, the attention economy's psychological and emotional costs are continuously rising.  Additional linked consequences include shorter attention spans and less focus as a result of continual multitasking and digital distractions; poorer sleep and irregular circadian cycles as a result of late-night screen time; and a perceived loss of personal agency, where people feel less in charge of their time and choices.

 We run the danger of undermining what makes us most human—our capacity for introspection, empathy, and independent thought—as we increasingly delegate our thought processes, judgments, and sense of value to algorithm-driven platforms.

 Taking Back Our Thoughts
 Local activities are required to address these problems.  Jigjiga University, polytechnic colleges, and other comparable establishments must start digital literacy initiatives to teach students safe online conduct.  The psychological impacts of internet addiction must be addressed via community radio programs in the area, and "device-free" study hours must be implemented in secondary schools.  These initiatives will raise awareness of the need of safeguarding mental health in the digital age.

 Even if the problem is mostly structural, significant change may be achieved via both individual and group efforts.  Digital minimalism, which entails cutting down on screen time and getting rid of pointless apps, is one suggested strategy.  Another useful step is to turn off alerts that are not necessary.  By establishing tech-free areas and designating certain times for unbroken concentration, creativity, and relaxation, people are urged to regain control over their attention.  Using ethical tech solutions like One Sec, Freedom, or Forest may assist control digital use.  Lastly, fostering a healthy digital world still requires encouraging humane design by arguing for transparency, regulation, and user rights.

 Paying attention is a kind of resistance in an era of artificially created distraction, not merely a personal decision.  Regaining your focus entails regaining your identity, connections, and values.

 As our society becomes more and more digitally mediated, we must remember that the most potent technology is not the gadget you are holding, but rather the idea that created it.  Take good care of it.