Back to catalog
BeginnerGrades 7–12Start here

Your attention is the product.

Quest 3: The Attention Economy

Every scroll, tap, and click is tracked. Platforms are engineered — down to the pixel — to capture your attention and keep it. This quest pulls back the curtain on the attention economy: how it works, who profits, and what it costs you. You'll leave with real strategies to reclaim your focus and make more intentional choices online.

5 lessons45 minGrades 7–12
Free

No account required to start

Start this questAssign to class
Completion certificate included
Standards-aligned curriculum
Educator dashboard available

What you'll learn

Understand what the attention economy is and why it exists
Identify the design techniques platforms use to keep you hooked
Recognize how persuasive technology affects your behavior and mood
Audit your own screen habits and identify patterns
Apply practical strategies to reclaim your attention and focus

Standards alignment

This course is aligned to the following academic standards.

ISTE Student Standard 2 — Digital Citizen
CASEL SEL Competency — Self-Management
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6-8.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose

Ready for another quest?

Explore the full catalog and keep building your media literacy skills.

Catalyst Quest

Equipping the next generation with the critical thinking skills to navigate a complex media landscape. Every student is a hero. Every lesson is a mission.

© 2026 Catalyst Quest. All rights reserved.

Think critically. Question everything. Be the catalyst.