Friction Is a Feature: How the Best Apps Slow You Down
Why One Sec, Opal, and other apps deliberately add friction to break your scroll habits. The counter-trend to frictionless design that's actually working.
10 min read
Tag
#attention-economy
8 articles
How 'For You' Algorithms Actually Work (And Why They're So Hard to Resist)
The plain-English breakdown of how TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube decide what you see next—and why their predictions feel so eerily accurate.
12 min read
Autoplay: The Design Choice That Stole Your Evening
YouTube's 2015 autoplay switch and TikTok's endless scroll aren't accidents. Here's the behavioral psychology behind it and how to turn it off.
8 min read
The Man Who Invented Infinite Scroll Wishes He Hadn't
Aza Raskin created infinite scroll in 2006 and now regrets it. Here's how his invention became the default across every app you use.
11 min read
Tristan Harris and the Center for Humane Technology, Explained
Former Google designer turned tech critic Tristan Harris argues your phone addiction isn't a willpower problem—it's a design problem. Here's what he actually means.
9 min read
The Social Dilemma: What the Documentary Got Right and Wrong
Netflix's The Social Dilemma revealed real tech manipulation tactics but exaggerated AI control. Here's what former insiders actually exposed.
8 min read
Nir Eyal's Hooked Model: Why Your Apps Feel Impossible to Ignore
The four-step psychology loop that makes Instagram, TikTok, and your favorite apps so addictive. Here's how the Hooked Model works and what you can do about it.
9 min read
The Attention Economy, Explained: How Your Focus Became a Product
Why willpower won't beat apps designed by teams of neuroscientists. The economic forces that turned your attention into the internet's most valuable commodity.
13 min read