Researchers have identified three main ways in which we can practice this critical ignorance. Let's look at the main tools:

1. Self-nudge: redesign your digital space

It's about proactively blocking temptation. Just as you would hide snacks to eat healthier, you can redesign your digital environment to reduce exposure to time-wasting, low-value information.

It's about making the right choice the default option.

• Set those time limits (I religiously use timers on my social apps) or limit your app usage.
• Switch to grayscale on your phone to immediately reduce the visual “pull” of brightly colored apps.
• Mute, unfollow, or block accounts that constantly flood your feed with noise.
• Temporarily disable distracting platforms when you have a big project or simply need a digital reset.

My experience backs up the science: I set timers and it's been a huge time saver and a huge boost to my well-being. This is consistent with studies, such as the one that found that turning off Facebook for a month freed up an hour a day and actually increased overall well-being. Victorious.

2. Lateral reading: credibility checks, the smart way

When you come across a shocking statement or an unfamiliar site, stop. Don't waste your mental energy trying to debate the claims within the article itself. That's what they want you to do.

Instead, you need to read laterally. This is how professional fact-checkers operate and it is much more efficient.

• Open a new tab (or two).
• Search for the organization, author, or main claim in trusted media.
• Check a variety of sources and search engines to quickly assess credibility.

By looking for context outside the source, you can quickly assess its reliability. It's the best defense against falsehoods, and it's a process I've detailed in detail: It really works.

3. Don't feed the trolls: eliminate the reward for attention

I say it all the time and was excited to see it reinforced in research: ignore the trolls. Trolls, bullies, and super-spreaders of misinformation thrive on your participation. Every answer you give them is a reward and a boost in the algorithm.

• The rule is simple: don't give them what they crave.
• Do not respond, correct or argue. That is precisely the reaction they want.
• Block, ignore and report the most malicious accounts.

This approach cuts off the social reward cycle, reducing your incentive to continue. Whether they're automated robots or just people looking to sow division, you'll feel better and be doing your part to clean up the ecosystem if you leave them alone.

A new mindset for the digital age

Our traditional education emphasized paying attention to everything and critically examining all information. But online, your attention is an exploited resource. Teaching ourselves to ignore strategically (not just randomly) is absolutely necessary to maintain our autonomy and sanity.

Critical ignorance is no substitute for critical thinking; makes room for him. By filtering out the noise first, you reserve your mental energy for the information that truly deserves your attention and scrutiny.

Mastering Self-Nudge: Your Digital Defense System

This technique has its roots in behavioral science, where you structure your environment to make positive decisions easier and negative ones more difficult.

Phone and app settings

Your phone is the main battlefield. These steps immediately reduce the addictive appeal of your device:

Make it gray: Switching the screen to grayscale mode (often found in the Accessibility or Digital Wellbeing settings) removes the vibrant colors that social media apps are designed to use as a reward. It literally makes them less exciting to watch.

Implement app limits: Use native tools like Screen Time (iOS) or Digital Wellbeing (Android) to set strict limits on time-wasting apps (e.g. 30 minutes a day for a social platform). Once the limit is reached, the app is blocked until the next day.

Hide distracting apps: Move your most tempting apps (social media, games) from your home screen to a folder on a secondary screen. This creates a micro-delay (a small friction point) that gives your rational brain a moment to activate before opening the app.

Consolidate notifications: Turn off notifications for almost anything that isn't a direct message from a person (like a text message or Slack direct message). You should check the news and email on your schedule, not theirs.

Desktop and Browser Tactics

Your computer setup also needs a boost, especially if you work from home:

Use website blockers: Install browser extensions (like Freedom, StayFocusd, or Cold Turkey) that allow you to block specific distracting websites (Twitter, Reddit, YouTube) during certain periods when you need to focus.

Dedicated Focus Navigator: Consider using one browser (for example, Firefox) only for work and another (for example, Chrome) only for leisure. You can remove all distracting bookmarks and extensions from the “work” browser.

Close unnecessary tabs: The cognitive load of having dozens of tabs open is real. Get into the habit of closing anything that is not immediately necessary for the task at hand.

Advanced Friction Strategies

These are powerful moves that create major barriers to distraction:

The logout rule: Sign out of your social media accounts every time you finish using them. The simple requirement of having to re-enter your password serves as a major point of friction and a moment of reflection.

The 'Do Not Disturb' Routine: Use your device's Focus Mode or Do Not Disturb feature to schedule times when your phone automatically silences itself and hides all notifications, dedicating that time to working or sleeping.

Charge outside the bedroom: Don't let your phone be the last thing you see at night or the first thing you grab in the morning. Charge it in a separate room to protect your morning and evening concentration.

Implementing just a few of these nudges will significantly regain your attention and time.