Is Infinite Scroll Coming to an End?

A simple line of code added to numerous applications. This line allows, with a simple thumb gesture, the endless scrolling of content on your electronic devices. In the process, it makes you lose sense of time to the extent that governments are looking into regulating it.

History and Creation of Infinite Scroll

2006: A Revolution

Before 2006, to continue reading while browsing a website, one had to press "Next Page." Until the day when Aza Raskin, an American engineer, created the line of code that automatically generates the next contents when the user reaches the bottom of a web page. A revolution that eliminates the concept of a page, replacing it with a Feed (News Feed).

The End of Clicking, the Birth of Scrolling

This feature responds to the development of web usage on smartphones: it is often easier to scroll than to use a menu. Moreover, over the years, the developer community has created numerous modules or tools to facilitate the integration of infinite scrolling into an application.

An Endlessly Filling Glass

To better understand the mechanism of infinite scroll, imagine drinking a glass with friends. As soon as you finish your drink, your brain "wakes up." You think, "Maybe I should stop drinking," or "Should I order another glass?" Now, imagine your glass refilling on its own. No need to ask questions. The chances of consuming more increase significantly.

This phenomenon is illustrated when you scroll through content for hours on TikTok or Instagram... without feeling satiated. Ask yourself this: would you spend as much time on Instagram or TikTok if you had to click the "Next Page" button every 5 videos?

A Feature Denied by Its Inventor

Aza Raskin himself has stated his intention to put an end to infinite scroll. Since 2020, he has been developing a tool to reduce the internet speed of a user who spends too much time scrolling. The goal: to reduce screen addiction directly linked to this type of feature.

200,000 human lives

lost every day in 2020

according to Aza RASKIN

Why Do They Want You to Stay Longer?

Increase Your Usage Time

The main challenge for brands is to attract users to their website or application and make them stay as long as possible. To achieve this, infinite scroll is part of a range of techniques designed to exploit the vulnerability of users to capture their attention and monetize their data.

The Business of Attention Economy

This is called attention economy. It defines the attention of consumers as a scarce economic resource in the face of the abundance of information. This economic theory, established by Herbert Simon in 1971, particularly well describes the functioning of markets in the digital age for many researchers.

Europe, France, and the United States Against Infinite Scroll

Europe Addresses Mental Health Issues Linked to Applications

In this context, the European Parliament has expressed its desire to combat addiction to applications. The press release from the parliament, issued in October 2023, details the issues in the debate on digital addiction.

The conclusion: new European rules are essential to make platforms less addictive.

During the discussions in Parliament, various health problems related to digital use (such as anxiety, depression, and lack of sleep) were mentioned. Young people are particularly affected. To support their statements, parliamentarians referred to studies linking attention deficits and hyperactivity disorders (ADHD).

The Senate Debates Addictive Design

In France, the Senate also believes that infinite scroll is too addictive. The design of websites is criticized, including the use of bright colors, constant notifications, infinite scroll, and automatic video playback during scrolling (for example, on TikTok).

The mission also proposes to build a 'regulation of attention,' notably by prohibiting certain practices such as automatic video playback and infinite scroll.
Senate Report For an Ecological Digital Transition

The United States Also Fights Against These Practices

Across the Atlantic, 41 U.S. states have sued Meta (the company operating social networks Facebook and Instagram) for its toxic and addictive practices. In November 2021, a lawsuit for harm to the mental health of young people was filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta. Since then, other attorneys general and U.S. states have supported him.

The investigation targets, among other things, the techniques used by Meta to increase the frequency and duration of engagement by young users and the resulting harms caused by such prolonged engagement.
Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Against Meta Over Harms to Youth Mental Health - State of California Department of Justice

Dictating Good Digital Practices

Europe wants to modernize legislation related to digital, both current and future. European institutions emphasize the importance of more targeted education on social networks and, more generally, on digital issues. Their desire is that online platforms can no longer "exploit individuals' vulnerabilities to capture their attention and monetize their data" (Senate Information Report, filed on June 24, 2020). They also want a list of good design practices to be created, requiring companies to develop ethical and fair digital products and services from their inception.

Some examples of the state's recommendations for more ethical digital practices:

establish the "right not to be disturbed"
implement a chronological timeline in the "News Feed"
disable notifications by default

Over the years, infinite scroll has become a central code element for many everyday applications. Today, however, this increasingly controversial feature raises serious questions in terms of health and social impact. Will this member of the family of dark patterns be replaced by another technique in the code of developers?