Letters to the Editor: A teacher’s view of smartphone addiction and Big Tech’s predatory behavior

To the editor: Thank you very much for publishing Roger McNamee’s op-ed article, “How Big Tech’s predatory culture fuels failures like Silicon Valley Bank.”

Among his many valid points, McNamee emphasizes how the “culture and business practices” of the tech sector have “shifted the burden of harm” to consumers.

I am a high school English teacher, and many of my own students have addictive and potentially dangerous relationships with their smartphones. I am frequently confiscating phones, asking them to be put away, or a witness to foolish behavior promoted by their apps.

Thankfully, I can say most students are able to control themselves, but for the more vulnerable, smartphones are too easily misused and abused.

Thank you for furthering this important discussion about the power of this dynamic industry. As I often ask my students: “Who’s in control — you or the phone?” For many, unfortunately, it is the latter.

Matthew Burger, Long Beach

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To the editor: Apparently the same libertarian, supposedly self-made millionaire executives who decry students for getting partial loan forgiveness, arguing that they knew what they were doing when they signed the loan agreement, didn’t read the sign on the Silicon Valley Bank’s door stating that deposits were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. up to $250,000.

John Goodman, Oak Park