Better Than Real Life: The Secret Science Addicting Kids to Screens—and How to Save Childhood Paperback – June 18, 2025

In the 1990s at Stanford University, a science was created to make digital machines use psychology to control humans. This science, called “persuasive design,” is now employed by Silicon Valley to addict kids to social media, video games, online videos, and smartphones. Yet virtually no one—including parents and even health experts—knows that persuasive design exists.Better Than Real Life is the story of the unknown science used by tech corporations to pull a generation of kids away from family, school, the outdoors, and other essential real-world experiences to stare at screens. World-leading brain scientists target kids’ DNA to convince them that living their lives on social media, video games, and other screens is “better than real life”—not just more entertaining, but experienced deep down in kids’ souls that using a particular screen fulfills their life’s purpose. The result is a nation of girls suffering from epidemic levels of depression and suicidality, while boys turn away from school and are put at risk for video game addiction.Dr. Freed is a child and adolescent psychologist who has a leading role in exposing the addictive science hiding behind our kids’ screens. His insights have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets. He lives in Walnut Creek, California, and is the proud father of two daughters.Better Than Real Life illustrates how parents, educators, health care providers, and others who care for youth have an important role in protecting our kids from addictive screens. And it provides you the power to give your kids the happy, healthy, and successful lives they need. Read more