Beware the infinite scroll

READER WARNING: Do not try this at home.

In the dark but tastefully decorated enclave of Mish app HQ…

I love how ManBun’s expression, which never changed, suddenly makes sense on this panel. That is what it looks like when a hipster’s final hope for humanity has been crushed under the moral dissonance of needing to pay rent but getting their paycheck from a company that actively makes the world a little worse every day.

Bonus: the hidden backstory to this user’s Mish use

The more serious portion of this article starts here:

Despite the backstory I’ve included in this Messages image, you don’t have to combine stimulants with infinite scroll to get in trouble.

If I don’t get at least 8 hours of sleep, I have to avoid certain shopping apps because the infinite scroll will eventually make me motion sick!

I can only imagine what directing your focus to an infinite scroll would be like on a new prescription of an attention medication. There but for the grace of dopamine go I…

On the other hand, banning features like infinite scroll will not curb social media or app addiction alone. App addiction is a complex issue that spans many metrics and features — and contrary to public perception, to the best of my knowledge, Facebook is the only site to ever be shown to cause greater distress with greater use. For every other app studied, positive social interactions could actually improve people’s moods the same way that negative interactions hurt people’s mood — rendering use duration irrelevant.

For more information on this topic, Nir Eyal is the go-to expert — his advice is practical, his information is accessible, and his science seems sound. Start with this very timely article about app addiction if you’re looking to learn more about ethical app creation.

And good luck my friends! If you start getting seasick, put the phone down!