The Dark Side of Media and Technology ― A 21st Century Guide to Media and Technological Literacy

The Dark Side of Media and Technology: A 21st Century Guide to Media and Technological Literacy is Herculean in its effort to survey for landmines in a rapidly changing media landscape. The book identifies four dark outcomes related to media and technology use in the 21st century, and balances the dark side with four points of light that are the keys to taking ownership of a media- and technology-saturated world. The text contains an impressive list of multi-disciplinary experts and cutting-edge researchers who approach 25 separate dark side issues with concise, highly readable chapters, replete with unique recommendations for navigating our mediated present and future.

The Dark Side of Media and Technology is grounded in theory and current research, but possesses an appeal similar to a page-turning dystopian novel; as a result, this volume should be of interest to scholars, students, and curious lay-readers alike. It should be the "go-to" text for anyone who is interested in learning what the research says about how we use media and technology, as well as how media and technology use us.

Edward Downs (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University) is Associate Professor and Director of the Communication Research Lab at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is the recipient of the 2018 UMD College of Liberal Arts, Tenured Faculty Teaching Award. His research examines relationships between technology and learning, the psychology of the individual-avatar relationship, and how simulation experiences influence attitude and behavior change.