Chapter 40 Quiz: Synthesis Assessment

Instructions

This quiz assesses your ability to synthesize the book's core arguments, apply them to new scenarios, evaluate proposed solutions, and reflect critically on what you've learned. Questions are not primarily about factual recall — they require you to reason using the concepts and evidence from the book.

Short-answer and essay questions should be answered in complete sentences. Questions marked [Short Answer] expect 3–5 sentences. Questions marked [Essay] expect a 200–350 word response.

Part I: Conceptual Synthesis

Question 1 [Short Answer]

The book argues that "the incentive structure shapes outcomes even when individuals within the structure have good intentions." Using one specific example from the book (from any chapter), explain what this claim means in practice. What does this imply about the relative value of individual behavior change versus structural reform?

Question 2 [Short Answer]

The chapter introduces the concept of "the record" — the accumulated body of journalism, research, and whistleblower testimony about platform behavior. Why does the chapter argue that "the record matters"? Identify one specific element of the Facebook News Feed arc that would not have become publicly known without the record, and explain its significance.

Question 3 [Multiple Choice — select the best answer]

Chapter 40 argues that individual agency in digital contexts is:

A. Illusory — because structural forces entirely determine behavior, individual choices are not meaningful B. Sufficient — because informed individuals can simply choose not to be manipulated by platform design C. Real but limited — meaningful within structural constraints but not a substitute for structural change D. More important than structural reform — because individual choices, in aggregate, determine platform incentives

Explain your choice in 2–3 sentences.

Question 4 [Short Answer]

The "ratchet problem" is defined in the key terms as "the observation that engagement optimization tends to escalate over time toward more extreme content because the marginal reward of novelty requires increasing stimulation." Explain how this dynamic was illustrated in the Facebook News Feed arc. Why does this pattern make self-regulation by platforms structurally difficult?

Question 5 [Short Answer]

The chapter describes Maya as "a success story in the sense that she's a person with a real relationship — complicated, ongoing, self-aware — with the technology that is part of her world." Why is this framing of "success" different from other common framings of digital well-being? What does this framing suggest about the appropriate goal of a personal digital framework?

Part II: Applied Analysis

Question 6 [Essay]

A state legislature is considering two competing bills:

Bill A: Requires social media platforms to default to chronological feeds (users can switch to algorithmic feeds by opting in), prohibits platforms from auto-playing the next video without user action, and requires usage dashboards to be displayed prominently upon app opening.

Bill B: Prohibits anyone under 18 from having a social media account, requires age verification for all users, and imposes significant fines for violations.

Using the evidence and arguments from this book, evaluate both bills. Which bill do you believe would be more effective at reducing algorithmic harm? What are the significant limitations of each? Are there risks in either proposal that the book's framework would identify?

Question 7 [Essay]

The Velocity Media narrative shows a company choosing "Option B" — a set of limited, specific design changes — rather than Option A (status quo) or Option C (subscription model). Marcus Webb argues that Option B will cost the company 8% growth and raises concerns about competitive pressure. Dr. Aisha Johnson notes in her private memo: "Not enough. Better than nothing. Keep going."

Using the concepts from Chapter 40 and the book's broader framework, evaluate this outcome. Is Velocity Media's choice genuinely meaningful, or is it primarily a regulatory and reputational hedge? What does the chapter's treatment of this decision suggest about how we should evaluate imperfect institutional change? What would need to happen for Option B to become something more adequate?

Question 8 [Short Answer]

"Environment design" is identified in Chapter 40 as a structural solution, in contrast to willpower, which is described as a depleting resource. Explain the distinction. Give two examples of environment design strategies from the chapter and explain why each is more durable than relying on willpower in the moment.

Question 9 [Essay]

The book describes social media platforms as exploiting "evolved psychological vulnerabilities at scale." A critic of the book's argument might respond: "Humans have always been influenced by their information environment — newspapers, television, radio. What makes algorithmic social media fundamentally different, and why should the response be different?"

Write a response to this critic, drawing on at least three specific concepts or findings from the book. Where do you find the critic's position partially valid? Where do you believe the book's argument provides a stronger account?

Part III: Evaluating Solutions

Question 10 [Short Answer]

Chapter 40 proposes a six-step personal framework for digital agency. Step 4 is "Design your environment, not just your willpower," and Step 5 is "Set measurable intentions." Explain the difference between an unmeasurable aspiration ("I'll use less social media") and a measurable intention. Write one example of a measurable intention for a hypothetical user whose primary vulnerability pattern is avoidance.

Question 11 [Multiple Choice — select the best answer, then explain]

Which of the following best describes the chapter's position on digital detoxes and platform abstinence?

A. They are the only effective response to platform addiction B. They are a useful short-term reset but insufficient as a long-term strategy C. They are counterproductive because they frame normal platform use as pathological D. They are equally valid as intentional use approaches, and the choice is purely personal preference

Explain your answer in 2–3 sentences.

Question 12 [Essay]

The book identifies six core claims in its synthesis section (What We Have Learned). These are:

Attention is an economic resource
Human neurobiology was not designed to resist these platforms
Dark patterns are a taxonomy, not accidents
Platforms have known more than they have said
Individual behavior change is real but limited
Structural change is happening, slowly

Choose two of these claims. For each, identify what you consider the strongest piece of evidence from the book supporting it, and identify the most significant uncertainty or counterargument. Then explain how you would synthesize the two claims: do they reinforce each other, or create tension?

Part IV: Reflection

Question 13 [Short Answer]

The chapter's "letter to the reader" states: "You will still use social media after you finish this book. I say this not as a criticism but as a fact." Why does the chapter take this position explicitly? What does it imply about what the book is and is not trying to accomplish? Do you agree with this framing?

Question 14 [Short Answer]

Define "epistemic autonomy" as introduced in the key terms. How does the recommendation algorithm specifically threaten epistemic autonomy, and what distinguishes this threat from the influence of older media like television or newspapers? Why might epistemic autonomy be considered a specifically democratic concern, not just an individual one?

Question 15 [Essay — final synthesis]

The book concludes: "The algorithm did not build itself. It was designed. Design can be changed."

Write a response to this conclusion. Do you find it genuinely hopeful, or does it understate the difficulty of the change it calls for? What would need to be true — at the level of economics, regulation, culture, and individual behavior — for "design can be changed" to produce meaningfully different platforms within the next 10 years? End your response with a statement of what you personally take away from the book as your most actionable conviction.

Answer Key Notes

For instructors or self-assessment:

Questions 3 and 11 have correct answers: Q3 = C; Q11 = B. All other questions assess quality of reasoning, not a single correct response.

Strong answers to essay questions will typically: - Use specific evidence from the book rather than general assertions - Acknowledge complexity and counterarguments - Connect across multiple chapters rather than relying on a single source - Distinguish between what the evidence shows and what the student personally believes - Avoid both techno-panic (all platforms are unambiguously harmful) and techno-apologia (platforms are neutral tools)

End of Chapter 40 Quiz