The simplistic and beside the point claim is that this is all "we ourselves have become a resource to extract". This is both not new and not key, and more of a political rant.
Before smartphone there was TV and cable TV. Young people spent time in front of the TV but TV is passive and does not allow you to connect with others.
Old people spent their time in front of the TV, before that they spent time by the radio, etc.
The youngest boomers are in their 60s now (and people in their 70s are boomers) so not sure if your really mean "boomers"...
What is the relation between all that and "now that we ourselves have become a resource to extract" in relation to smartphone use and changing socialising habits? This is a very shallow and short-term view. People like scapegoats and shallow reasoning.
Ubiquitous smartphones are a fundamental shift irrespective of the big bad capitalists who are doing nothing new.
Perhaps we could add parenting. If parents let their children hold on to their smartphones 24/7 it's no-one else's fault. In general, at least in my case and my friends', TV was highly "regulated" at home.
Before smartphone there was TV and cable TV. Young people spent time in front of the TV but TV is passive and does not allow you to connect with others.
Old people spent their time in front of the TV, before that they spent time by the radio, etc.
The youngest boomers are in their 60s now (and people in their 70s are boomers) so not sure if your really mean "boomers"...