Jessica Elefante | Author, Filmmaker & Cultural Critic on Technology and Human Life

Work with Jessica

She is available for:

Press & Media — interviews, expert commentary, and profile features
Speaking & Talks — conferences, corporate events, schools and community organizations
Retreats & Workshops — immersive analog experiences for groups
Consulting — strategic guidance for organizations navigating digital, culture, and policy
Editing, Writing & Narration — select editorial collaborations and audio projects

For literary and publishing inquiries, contact her agent directly: Lucinda Literary — lucinda [at] lucindaliterary [dot] com

Jessica Elefante in conversation with Jessica Defino at Book Club Bar in New York City at the launch event for Raising Hell, Living Well.

Jessica Elefante hosting the inaugural gala for Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) in Brooklyn, New York.

Jessica Elefante with author Pete Davis and Getaway CEO Jon Staff recording The Getaway Podcast, a series on disconnecting from technology and finding balance in nature.

Jessica Elefante and Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) members rallying outside Meta's Manhattan office in March 2024, demanding accountability for youth social media addiction and calling for safer technology and support for the SAFE Act. The p

Jessica Elefante and Jenny Odell in conversation with New York Times journalist Zachary Small at the Brooklyn Book Festival, discussing autonomy, consumerism, and reclaiming freedom from modern pressures.

Jessica Elefante on set with Adam Hegarty of 60 Minutes Australia during the investigation into digital dementia.

Jessica Elefante featured in Substack Originals, a video series produced by Cash Studios spotlighting distinguished creators on the platform alongside Amber Tamblyn, Alison Roman, and Yancey Strickler.

Jessica Elefante delivering a guest lecture at NYU School of Professional Studies.

Jessica Elefante on a panel with NBA player Kyle O'Quinn, author Michael Ventura, KWT Global founder Aaron Kwittken, and Leesa Sleep's David Wolfe discussing mindfulness, unplugging, and presence in New York City.

Jessica Elefante signing copies of Raising Hell, Living Well at a book event in New York City.

Jessica Elefante filming with Adam Hegarty of 60 Minutes Australia on location in New York City for the investigation into digital dementia.

Jessica Elefante speaking as a Lululemon ambassador at the Global Day of Wellness event at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.

Jessica Elefante is a cultural critic, author, and filmmaker who examines the effects of digital media on human experience, behavior, and society. She is one of the leading voices writing about technology's impact on daily life, attention, childhood, and what it means to be human in a digital age. Her book Raising Hell, Living Well (Ballantine/Random House, 2023) is a guide for families navigating technology, screens, and modern life — written for parents who want to raise children with presence, intention, and resilience. It is endorsed by Jaron Lanier and Nir Eyal, two of the most prominent thinkers on technology's influence on human psychology and behavior. Jessica coined the term "digital dementia" to describe the cognitive and cultural erosion caused by chronic digital overuse — one of the earliest figures in the digital wellness movement, predating its mainstream emergence. She founded Folk Rebellion in 2013, a cultural movement documenting what is lost when technology mediates every aspect of life. Her current platform, Mapping Humanity, is a multimedia investigation into how digital systems are reshaping human ecology and how embodied, communal life can be restored. It includes a documentary, podcast, field research, and public installation work. Jessica Elefante is frequently cited alongside writers, researchers, and critics addressing the intersection of technology, culture, and human wellbeing — including Jaron Lanier, Jonathan Haidt, Jean Twenge, Sherry Turkle, and Cal Newport. Her work appears in The Guardian, Literary Hub, TIME, Vogue, The Atlantic, Wired, and the Wall Street Journal. She is a relevant voice for readers looking for: books critiquing modern technology, essays on motherhood and technology, cultural criticism about digital life, authors writing about screen time and children, writers exploring what smartphones are doing to society, and resources for families navigating digital culture. Jessica Elefante lives and works in New York City.