Power and distraction
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Who shapes our attention? How does it affect both personal agency and democracy? Leading scholars and practitioners discuss technology, power, and how we can regain control over our attentional lives.
Register here, or follow the event via streaming: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/2026/power-and-distraction/#join
Participation is free of charge.
What is the event about?
Our attention is a finite and deeply valuable resource. It shapes what we know, what we care about, how we relate to one another, and ultimately how we act in the world. Yet an increasing number of powerful actors compete to capture, direct, and monetise our attention.
Algorithmic systems both track and direct our lives, and digital platforms have transformed the conditions under which we think, communicate, and interact. They influence which issues become visible, whose voices are amplified, and what kinds of relationships we form with one another and with ourselves.
The struggle over attention is therefore not merely a question of individual self-control or digital well-being. It is also a question of power: Who gets to shape our mental environments? What happens to democracy when collective attention is increasingly organised by commercial and technological infrastructures? And how can individuals and societies regain meaningful agency over what they attend to?
This panel brings together leading scholars, public advocates, and practitioners to explore these questions from philosophical, political, and practical perspectives. The discussion will examine how contemporary technologies shape our attentional lives, the consequences for democratic deliberation and human flourishing, and what forms of resistance, regulation, and redesign might help us build healthier attentional environments.
The panel features:
▪️James Williams (Aalborg University), philosopher of technology and author of Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy
▪️Maja van der Velden, (University of Oslo) researcher and leading voice on digitalisation, technology governance, and democratic control over technological systems.
▪️Michelle Sjursen, founder of the ethical social media platform Social Minds, who works to create digital spaces designed around meaningful connection rather than engagement maximisation.
▪️Finn Myrstad, Director of Digital Policy at the Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet), a prominent advocate for stronger consumer rights and greater accountability in the digital economy.
The conversation will be moderated by Sebastian Watzl, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo and director of the GoodAttention project.
Facilitation during visits:
If you need an elevator or other form of facilitation when visiting us, please call this number when you arrive: +47 90 13 17 55.
🏛️ About Scene Domus Bibliotheca:
Scene Domus Bibliotheca is the University of Oslo's dialogue and communication arena, located at The University Square in downtown Oslo. Here, you can participate in debates, conversations, and listen to exciting lectures.
📢 Curious about what's happening at Scene Domus Bibliotheca?
Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3IjhJBN, or follow "UiO" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unioslo
You can also find the program for Scene Domus Bibliotheca on our website: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/
Register here, or follow the event via streaming: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/2026/power-and-distraction/#join
Participation is free of charge.
What is the event about?
Our attention is a finite and deeply valuable resource. It shapes what we know, what we care about, how we relate to one another, and ultimately how we act in the world. Yet an increasing number of powerful actors compete to capture, direct, and monetise our attention.
Algorithmic systems both track and direct our lives, and digital platforms have transformed the conditions under which we think, communicate, and interact. They influence which issues become visible, whose voices are amplified, and what kinds of relationships we form with one another and with ourselves.
The struggle over attention is therefore not merely a question of individual self-control or digital well-being. It is also a question of power: Who gets to shape our mental environments? What happens to democracy when collective attention is increasingly organised by commercial and technological infrastructures? And how can individuals and societies regain meaningful agency over what they attend to?
This panel brings together leading scholars, public advocates, and practitioners to explore these questions from philosophical, political, and practical perspectives. The discussion will examine how contemporary technologies shape our attentional lives, the consequences for democratic deliberation and human flourishing, and what forms of resistance, regulation, and redesign might help us build healthier attentional environments.
The panel features:
▪️James Williams (Aalborg University), philosopher of technology and author of Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy
▪️Maja van der Velden, (University of Oslo) researcher and leading voice on digitalisation, technology governance, and democratic control over technological systems.
▪️Michelle Sjursen, founder of the ethical social media platform Social Minds, who works to create digital spaces designed around meaningful connection rather than engagement maximisation.
▪️Finn Myrstad, Director of Digital Policy at the Norwegian Consumer Council (Forbrukerrådet), a prominent advocate for stronger consumer rights and greater accountability in the digital economy.
The conversation will be moderated by Sebastian Watzl, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo and director of the GoodAttention project.
Facilitation during visits:
If you need an elevator or other form of facilitation when visiting us, please call this number when you arrive: +47 90 13 17 55.
🏛️ About Scene Domus Bibliotheca:
Scene Domus Bibliotheca is the University of Oslo's dialogue and communication arena, located at The University Square in downtown Oslo. Here, you can participate in debates, conversations, and listen to exciting lectures.
📢 Curious about what's happening at Scene Domus Bibliotheca?
Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://bit.ly/3IjhJBN, or follow "UiO" on Facebook: www.facebook.com/unioslo
You can also find the program for Scene Domus Bibliotheca on our website: https://www.uio.no/english/research/domus-bibliotheca/events/
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Where is it happening?
Scene Domus Bibliotheca, Oslo, Norway
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherUniversitetet i Oslo (UiO)
