Infinite scroll : voluntary friction, the science-backed weapon to take back control

You open an app “just one minute,” and twenty minutes later you are still sliding your thumb upward. This mechanism has a name: the infinite scroll. Designed in 2006 by engineer Aza Raskin to spare internet users from clicking “next page,” it now powers almost all social networks. Its creator has since expressed regret: this endless scrolling removes the natural stopping points that once allowed us to consciously decide whether to continue or to stop.

Why our brain gets drawn in

The problem is not a lack of willpower, but a design meant to capture attention. Each unexpected piece of content triggers a small release of dopamine, the anticipation molecule. Since you never know whether the next video will be exciting or bland, the brain stays on alert, just like in front of a slot machine. Psychologists speak of a stream that causes cognitive overload: the brain, overwhelmed by a rapid parade of information, remembers poorly and tires quickly.

A study presented at the CHI 2025 conference highlighted this phenomenon: participants faced with an infinite-scrolling interface remembered the content they had viewed significantly less than those whose interface required a confirming gesture. Researchers see this as a form of normative dissociation, that autopilot state where one scrolls without really registering what one sees. According to the Digital 2026 report, an internet user spends on average more than two and a half hours per day on social networks: so many opportunities to slip into this absent mode.

Voluntary friction, an approach validated by science

Faced with this finding, one strategy has proven effective: deliberately reintroducing small obstacles, what researchers call voluntary friction. The idea is simple: restore a second of reflection where design had erased it. A study conducted with the University of Heidelberg and the Max Planck Institute, published in the journal PNAS, tested an app that enforces a short pause and a declaration of intent before opening a social network. Result: use of the targeted apps dropped by about 57% on average. More than half of opening attempts were simply abandoned once the user was asked to confirm their intention.

The principle aligns with a digital well-being logic already well documented on our pages Fitness & Well-being: it’s not technology in itself that’s the problem, but our automatic relationship to it. Adding friction is giving the user back the power to choose.

When states get involved

The question now goes beyond the individual sphere. In the United Kingdom, following a public consultation that received more than 116,000 responses, the government proposed in mid-July 2026 to disable infinite scrolling by default for 16- and 17-year-olds, alongside a digital curfew between midnight and 6 a.m. and the disabling of autoplaying videos. The measures, supported by legislation dedicated to the protection of minors, are expected in spring 2027. A strong signal: endless scrolling is no longer seen as mere convenience, but as a driver of compulsive use.

Take back control, concretely

• Enable screen time reminders and set a limit before opening the app, not during.
• Switch your screen to grayscale: without bright colors, content is much less enticing.
• Move time-consuming apps into a folder off the home screen to recreate the act of searching.
• Replace the reflex “I scroll” with a micro-alternative: two minutes of walking, a glass of water, a breath.

These actions are nothing spectacular, and that’s precisely their strength: they reintroduce the second of awareness that design had erased. To explore further the impact of digital tools, find our analyses in High Tech, AI & Software and our society explainers in Practical Life & Society.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is infinite scroll dangerous for mental health?

Scrolling itself is not an illness, but intensive use is associated with mental fatigue, decreased concentration, and a feeling of time wasted. Moderation and awareness of one’s usage remain the best safeguards.

What is voluntary friction?

It’s the act of deliberately adding a small obstacle before an automatic action: a pause, a question, a confirmation. This slight effort is often enough to interrupt autopilot and give the user back the choice.

Does switching your phone to black and white really help?

Grayscale mode removes the colored stimuli designed to catch the eye. Many users find their phone becomes noticeably less “appetizing,” which reduces impulsive checking.

Sources

• CNBC — Midnight curfews and infinite scroll limits proposed for UK teens
• CHI 2025 — Scrolling in the Deep: intervention effectiveness during infinite scrolling
• Heidelberg / Max Planck study (PNAS) — friction reduces app usage