Social-media platforms—on which people spend a significant portion of their time online—have predominantly been responsible for fueling this issue. They have studied how people’s minds work extensively, with the intention of making their apps addictive. These platforms leverage persuasive-design strategies to keep users hooked, using features such as likes on posts, pictures, images, comments, stickers, and rewards to make users feel good.
Digital addiction is on the rise globally, especially among teenagers. In this article, I’ll delve into the changing landscape of UX design and its role in promoting the healthier, more balanced use of digital technology.
Overcoming the Ills of Digital Addiction
The misuse of psychology in UX design is an unhealthy practice that has driven the problem of digital addiction. I want to shed some light on how UX design is adapting to create more balanced digital experiences and explore how UX designers are actively working to make apps and Web sites less addictive and fostering greater mindfulness of users’ well-being. With the aim of contributing to a better digital future, this evolution of design practice is particularly relevant for both college students and daily digital-device users.
The primary goal of this evolution of the user experience is to strike a balance between the usefulness of technology and its impact on people’s mental health. Thus, users can enjoy the benefits of digital products without falling into the trap of compulsive use. The current, pressing necessity of curbing digital addiction is highly pertinent to and aligns with the interests of those whose concern is the impact of technology on people’s mental health. Our aim is to address the challenges that addictive design poses and drive the evolution of UX design. Breaking the chains of digital addiction is crucial to reimagining the user experience. The consequences of not overcoming digital addiction include becoming less intentional and deliberate in our digital interactions, leading to concerns such as the creation of a more divided, or polarized, society. A plethora of issues with social-media apps and persuasive algorithm designs have permeated our society.
For example, people may either favor or disregard others based on their social-media likes and posts relating to political, religious, and other interests. Friends and family in a person’s social-media network are aware of the person’s favored political party. This sometimes results in groups that are either pro or against others, which can lead to cyberbullying and eventually to polarization in our society. [1] Instagram has changed the world in some unexpected ways. [2]
Algorithms push content based on factors such as age, gender, preferences, and interests, leading individuals to develop biases toward specific products and services. So-called influencers and content creators often produce content without referring to reliable and trusted sources, causing people to fall into their misinformation trap—or perhaps an algorithm trap.
For example, an app could push homosexual content to check an individual’s interest. Then, if the person engages with that content by watching a video for some time or by liking a post, the app would subsequently show more similar content to further assess their interest in homosexuality. If the individual continues to engage with the content, the app would then regularly display related content, along with related advertisements and products. [3]
In the past, tech-media giants have demonstrated their influence on and power over political parties by helping them win or causing them to lose elections. [4]
