Addictive Designs & Habits
A design feature like endless scrolling that keeps you engaged without a natural stopping point.
What is infinite scroll?
A "red flag" feeling when something online seems off or manipulative.
What is gut instinct? (or trust your instincts)
Unwritten rules about when/where it's okay to use phones, like during meals or conversations.
What are social norms? (around tech)
A repeated behavior that happens almost automatically, like checking your phone first thing in the morning.
What is a habit?
The 2025 viral TikTok trend where users "reset" their For You Page with fresh sounds and memes.
What is the Great Meme Reset?
The positive counterpart to addictive design—features that support healthy, mindful use.
What is humane design?
Steps to take after a data breach, like changing passwords and monitoring accounts.
What is response strategies? (or protect your identity)
benefit of facial recognition, like faster unlocking phones or finding missing people.
What is convenience/security?
Features in apps or devices that encourage excessive use by exploiting psychological triggers.
What is addictive design?
Chappell Roan's 2024 breakout hit "Good Luck, Babe!" that dominated summer playlists.
What is "Good Luck, Babe!"?
The brain chemical released from likes and notifications that reinforces checking apps.
What is dopamine?
Pretending to be a friend, company, or authority to trick someone into sharing info.
What is impersonation? (or phishing/social engineering tactic)
A risk of facial recognition, such as errors leading to misidentification.
What is bias/inaccuracy?
Tricking or manipulating someone online by pretending to be trustworthy to get personal info.
What is social engineering?
The AI-generated image trend in 2026 where everyone turned themselves into Studio Ghibli-style characters.
What is Ghibli-fy yourself?
A personal plan students create to change one tech habit for better well-being.
What is a Tech Habit Challenge?
How companies sometimes use urgency or fear to push users into quick decisions online.
What is manipulation? (or psychological tricks in deception)
How constant phone use in social settings can make people feel ignored.
What is phubbing? (or reduced face-to-face connection)
A large-scale incident where hackers access and steal user data from a company's systems.
What is a data breach?
The Disney+ series reboot of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series wrapping up in 2025.
What is HSMTMTS Season 4?
App tricks like autoplay videos or constant notifications that hijack attention.
What are design tricks?
The broader impact of online deception, like identity theft or compromised accounts.
What is loss of privacy/security?
Deliberate choices to set boundaries, like device-free zones, to improve relationships.
What is building positive tech norms
Technology that identifies people by analyzing patterns in their facial features from photos or video.
What is facial recognition?
Olivia Rodrigo's 2026 album drop teased with cryptic social media posts about "growing pains."
What is GUTS (spilled)?