No Dumb Questions

212 - Should Alabama Ban the Infinite Scroll?

41 snips
Sep 24, 2025
The hosts dive into the debate over banning infinite scroll, questioning its psychological effects on users. They explore how these endless feeds manipulate dopamine through Skinner box concepts. Personal strategies to limit scrolling are shared, aiming to reclaim focus. A discussion on policy tradeoffs pits government regulation against personal freedom, raising concerns about overreach. Lastly, they weigh alternatives like age restrictions and healthier platforms to combat the pervasive nature of scrolling.
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INSIGHT

Infinite Scroll Mimics A Skinner Box

  • The infinite scroll leverages variable rewards like a Skinner box to keep users hooked.
  • Destin and Matt argue this design ramps dopamine and damages sustained attention and virtue.
ADVICE

Set Hard Refresh Limits

  • Limit time and refreshes on waterfall feeds to prevent endless engagement.
  • Matt restricts X to desktop and clicks one "see 35 more" then stops to avoid the vortex.
ANECDOTE

Phone-Free But Browser Weakness

  • Destin removed social apps from his phone but still visits Reddit via browser during idle moments like bathroom breaks.
  • He admits the dopamine hit and FOMO keep pulling him back despite not valuing the content.
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