Carefully curated books, research papers, organizations, podcasts, documentaries, and tools — selected to help people better understand digital life and public health.
A curated path through the best writing, research, and media on social isolation in the digital age — from epidemiology to memoir, platform design to public policy.
18 resources · updated June 2026
Browse the collection →A foundational text on how technology reshapes intimacy, solitude, and the texture of human connection.
Digital Identity
How loneliness became a defining condition of modern life — and what institutions can do about it.
LonelinessThe psychology of behavioral addiction — and why so many digital products are designed to be hard to put down.
Digital Wellbeing
A personal and cultural examination of masculinity — relevant to anyone studying identity online.
MasculinityWhat the internet is doing to our brains — still essential reading on attention and cognition.
Technology
Finding balance in an age of indulgence — directly applicable to digital consumption patterns.
Public HealthThe primary index for biomedical and life sciences literature — essential for peer-reviewed research on mental health and technology.
Broad academic search across disciplines — useful for finding citations and related work across fields.
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses — the gold standard for evidence synthesis in health research.
U.S. federal agency funding and publishing health research — including growing work on digital health interventions.
Global public health guidance, reports, and policy frameworks — including digital health strategy documents.
U.S. public health data, surveillance, and guidance — including youth mental health and social connectedness resources.
National Institute of Mental Health — leading U.S. research on mental disorders, including digital interventions.
Advocacy and research on aligning technology with human wellbeing — influential in the design ethics conversation.
Professional organization advancing public health practice, policy, and research in the United States.
Multi-stakeholder research on responsible AI — increasingly relevant to companions, algorithms, and mental health.
Global research and programs on masculinities, gender equality, and violence prevention — with growing digital focus.
Research and best practices on building healthy online communities — applicable to support groups and forums.
Center for Humane Technology
Essential listening on how technology hijacks attention — and what humane design looks like.
Jeff Orlowski
A widely accessible entry point for understanding algorithmic manipulation and social media's mental health effects.
NPR / Shankar Vedantam
Deep dives into unconscious patterns of human behavior — frequently covers technology, loneliness, and identity.
Karim Amer & Jehane Noujaim
How personal data becomes political influence — a case study in the public health implications of algorithmic targeting.
Start with our framework — the foundation for everything else in this library.
Essay · 5 minOur cover story on why the persona we perform online is a legitimate site of health intervention.
Essay · 14 minThe book that started a generation of conversation about technology and human connection.
BookResources and research on designing technology that serves human wellbeing rather than exploiting attention.
OrganizationStart with the episode on loneliness — an accessible bridge between personal experience and systemic critique.
Podcast · 45 minPractical steps for assessing and improving your relationship with technology — evidence-based, non-moralizing.
Coming soonAge-appropriate questions and conversation starters for families navigating screen time and social media.
Coming soonEvery book, paper, and report from our featured loneliness collection in one printable document.
Coming soonA visual explainer of private, social, and third selves — designed for classrooms and community workshops.
Coming soonFacilitator notes and prompts for community conversations about masculine identity in digital space.
Coming soonOur annual synthesis of research trends, policy developments, and open questions in the field.
Coming soon