Zuckerberg Sister Writes About Unplugging From Digital World
MIAMI (CBS4) - She has one of the most famous last names in the world.
Randi Zuckerberg is the sister of Mark Zuckerberg, who created Facebook - a website that has connected people in ways that many of them never thought possible. Now she has a surprising message in her new book.
CBS4's Rhiannon Ally sat down with Zuckerberg at the Four Seasons in Brickell to hear why she suggests people log off a little more often.
While some say 'Why put down the phone when we can talk, tweet, Facebook and email with just the push of a few buttons?' Zuckerberg suggests our instant connection may have gone too far and she sees things shifting the opposite way now.
"I think the pendulum is swinging back now and people are starting to think more about what it means to be connected and what it is to reclaim a little bit of the intimacy in our lives again," said Zuckerberg.
She knows this message may seem surprising coming from her.
"It definitely seems a bit ironic but I think I wouldn't have that perspective if I wouldn't have been on the front lines helping him build Facebook," said Zuckerberg.
She spent six years at Facebook as the marketing director and said the day she decided to leave was also the best of her Facebook career.
Zuckerbrg produced President Barack Obama's Town Hall meeting on her school's campus in 2011. She told Mark that evening that she was leaving and she said he made the decision easy for her.
"He always told me, if you find something that makes you happy and you are really passionate about it, even if its outside of Facebook, it's really important to pursue your dreams," said Zuckerberg.
In her new book, "Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives," Zuckerberg talks about the importance of balancing our digital lives with our personal ones.
"I do think that it is really important for each of us to try to take at least an hour or two during the day, to have 'me time,' time with your family and time with your friends where you are making a conscious effort to put the device to the side and really focus on the beautiful world around you," said Zuckerberg.
For Zuckerberg, that world now includes a beautiful two year old boy, born shortly after she left Facebook.
"There was a moment, I think my son was around six or seven months old, that I was playing with him and I went to answer a text message and the next thing I know he picked up the television remote and starting putting his thumb on it, like he was sending a message too. And I thought 'Gosh so early, he already sees that he is competing with a phone for my love and attention'," said Zuckerberg. "From then on, I really try to put it at least out of sight when I am with him."
She said she hopes her son learns the message much earlier than many others do. That's why she wrote the children's book, "Dot" to teach kids from an early age that technology is just a small part of being a kid.
"I always think for young children especially, they will have lots of tech addiction to devices ahead of them, so the more you encourage them to use their imagination and play outside early on and that's kind of the message behind my children's book 'Dot'," said Zuckerberg.
As for what her brother thinks of her book's messages, she said that the whole family has been supportive which is why she felt comfortable including so many personal stories.
She also said Mark is good at disconnecting himself as well, that's just one of the ways that he finds time to think of other big innovative ideas.
