The Attention Economy: What We Knew 5 Years Ago vs. Today

Attention is our most precious cognitive resource. It is finite, selective, and constantly under siege in the digital age. The attention economy, as outlined by Nielsen Norman Group back in 2019, highlights how apps and websites compete fiercely to capture and monetize our focus. With only so many hours in a day and limited mental bandwidth, users are bombarded by autoplay videos, pop-ups, and alerts. This race for attention often backfires, overwhelming users and shortening attention spans. In 2025, the landscape reflects a growing “poverty of attention,” where users feel manipulated, fatigued, and increasingly powerless in the face of relentless digital demands.

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/attention-economy/