Inventing the Term That Already Existed
By Craig Keefner
You’d be forgiven for thinking “Digital Screenage” is just another buzzword. But I didn’t coin it to ride a trend. I coined it to name a condition — one we’re already living in.
We don’t live in the information age anymore. We live in the screen age. Every day we pass dozens — maybe hundreds — of glowing rectangles, each delivering a mix of ads, instructions, warnings, or subtle nudges. Some are helpful. Some are noise. Most go unnoticed — but they’re still shaping behavior.
What I’ve always loved about this industry — from kiosks to digital menus to airport check-ins — is that it’s quietly transformed the world without needing to shout about it. But in doing so, it’s also become... under-documented.
Digital Screenage is my attempt to fix that. To call attention to the history, the people, the trends, and the shifts that matter — not just the ones that make headlines.
It’s also a place for skepticism. For commentary. For memory. And for giving names to the things we’re already experiencing — because once we name something, we can study it. Challenge it. Improve it.
So yes, the term might sound new. But the reality it describes? You’ve been living in it for years.