Anyone with a mobile phone and an account on social media can scroll on different apps to obtain content whenever they want and for as long as they want. But for some, the infinite stream of content is paralysing and distracting.
Endless scrolling has been around since 2008 as a design feature to provide unlimited hours of content.
With this feature a part of our daily lives, it’s almost impossible for users to choose how long to engage with the apps fighting to hold our attention.
The Wire’s contributor from R-T-R FM Allan Boyd spoke with Senior Lecturer at the School of Psychology at Deakin University Dr Sharon Horwood about why it’s so hard to stop once we start scrolling.
Produced By: Allan Boyd
Featured In Story: Dr Sharon Horwood – Senior Lecturer at the School of Psychology at Deakin University
First aired on The Wire, Thursday, 9 April 2026