05-17-26 Social Media Is Engineered To Be Addictive To You and Your Child

Send us Fan MailRecord profits used to mean stability. Now it can mean something else: a company realizes AI can do more with fewer people, and the layoffs start anyway. We talk through the real-world signals, starting with Cisco cutting thousands of jobs while reporting strong results, plus other examples like GM trimming IT roles. The takeaway isn’t panic, it’s clarity: AI job displacement is already happening, and the smartest move is to understand where the tech is headed before it reshapes your department around you.We also get practical for anyone shopping this summer. New computer prices are still elevated, so we break down the specs that actually matter for a fast Windows 11 experience in 2026: 16GB RAM as the sweet spot, a solid state drive as non-negotiable, and CPUs new enough to keep up with modern browsers and AI features. We explain why bloatware makes many brand-new PCs feel slower than they should, and why a properly refurbished laptop or desktop can be a better value without the junk.Then we shift to the redesign of social media itself. Endless scrolling, reels, shorts, and notification loops are engineered to be addictive, and we talk about what that does to attention, sleep, and mental health, especially for kids and teens. The European Union is pushing regulations that target the mechanics of addiction, not just content, and it may set the template for what comes next. We close with a few wild tech stories and a serious security lesson every business needs: revoke access before you terminate someone.If this helped, subscribe, share the show with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find Tech Talk.Support the showFollow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RefreshComputers/Track us on X at https://x.com/RefreshStores