Design Ethicist Imagines How Apple Could Help Combat Tech Addiction in Future iOS Updates

[slineaudi]

Here's what I don't really get... what science is backing this up? When has tech addiction ever been diagnosed? Is it bad for your health? If so, how does it negatively impact your health? This isn't based on anything.

I agree. I think Apple does do a really great job of improving user health overall. For example, Apple added night shift to change the color tone of the screen based on time of day when it was found that can impact sleep.

I don't think people are addicted to their iPhone. I think they are addicted to apps (facebook, instagram...) and you might argue people are addicted to human relationships general. I believe there have been studies linking social platforms/apps to health issues. Instagram may be linked to depression, for example. Similarly though, the Apple fitness app is linked to more standing up during the day via reminders to my watch; which is good. So really, app usage is not for Apple to regulate. Its a matter of education (like smoking is bad for you commercials) and then continuing to support "healthy" apps, which I think Apple has done a really good job of.

Thinking more about this... a way for Apple to help educate, would be to add an option into the fitness app that allowed you to track phone or app usage if you wanted it too. Reporting this data would allow the user to decide if (not force) a change to their habits was something they wanted. Similar to how we track amount of time spent swimming or running.

 

[macduke]

Humans have always had problems with discipline. Before smartphones it was reading magazines on the toilet, or watching more TV, playing console games, listening to music, drinking, etc. Developing discipline is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Giving people tools to develop discipline on their phones sounds like a good idea—but it's up to the person to take the initiative and follow through. And that's where most people fail.

I'm only partially disciplined, but I've been getting better over the years. I shut down my Facebook in 2010 which opened up a lot of spare time. I cut back on my Twitter usage and mainly follow people and entities in my web/design/photography industry. I have work emails set to silent on my phone—only a red circle. And since I practice inbox zero, I'll notice the red circle and check it if I feel like it. I will only check once in the evening and twice per day on the weekend to make sure the servers didn't go down. Otherwise people usually call me if there is a problem, which is rarely. I only glance subject lines and don't read anything that doesn't look important. If I didn't manage a network of 30 websites then I wouldn't even check. For a while I noticed I was getting addicted to Reddit so I put a content blocker on my iPhone for Reddit and uninstalled the app. Now I've removed the blocker and only check it briefly on the weekend. One thing that I still struggle with is YouTube. I follow a lot of channels, so I've started cutting back on the number of channels I follow so I don't get sucked down the rabbit hole so easily. The problem is YouTube is so good at recommending interesting videos. I might have to uninstall that for a while if I can't get it under control.

Basically you need to start with a list of priorities. What is actually important to you vs. what you normally do. For me my #1 priority is my family. After that, there are things around the house that need work. I group them into things I need to do now and things that can wait. When I have extra time or some time off of work, I address my lower priority tasks so that I don't get bogged down. After that, I try to prioritize time for my hobbies, such as painting or working on long-term projects such as finishing my office space in the basement. I've started taking the same approach to my work and have seen advancements in my career. As my income increases, I'm planning on shifting more time consuming tasks to paid services so that I have more time for my passions. I wish I had developed more discipline when I was younger, but it's better late than never, and I still have a long way to go. Always look for ways you can improve and design your life the way you want it. Identify why you do the things you don't want to do and change. Keep trying if it doesn't work at first. Keeping a journal can be important and I've made several breakthroughs about myself by writing. You don't even have to do it consistently. I sometimes only write a reflection once a month, but it's still useful. It helps you sort out your brain.

 

[SecuritySteve]

I think the last thing I need in my iPhone or Mac is a built-in psychologist who questions my use cases.

 

[alexgowers]

I believe internet addiction could result in a massive downturn in productivity worldwide. As the algorithms that match content to us improve they only get more sticky as a habit. There are jobs to be had in this climate of perfectly matched consumers to content for sure though. I would love some studies to be done in relation to how this truely is impacting society. The current studies are almost too slow to catch up with the pace of change.

 

[iisdan]

What a pity. I mean that, sincerely. I truly feel a deep sadness for you and others who feel as you do, because it indicates a lack of meaningful human relationships and little or no connection to the incredible natural world around you.

I had, and still have friends, back then we sat around with nothing to do, always bored. Now we game. It's a much better time to be alive thanks to tech.

 

[palmerc2]

People really need to learn to rely less on their phones, IMO. Takes the human element out of communication.

 

[BigMcGuire]

I had, and still have friends, back then we sat around with nothing to do, always bored. Now we game. It's a much better time to be alive thanks to tech.

Yeah, those LAN parties where my friends brought over their 90 pound 200-400mhz PCs and CRT monitors so we could all play Age of Empires or Warcraft II ................ awesome .
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People really need to learn to rely less on their phones, IMO. Takes the human element out of communication.

People who rely on their phones for social aspects of life are being damaged imo. I despise Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat. I use my phone to read books, watch youtube videos usually to learn how to do something, and to catch up on Macrumors. It depends on how you use your phone imo - but Facebook can be very dangerous.

 

[macTW]

So according to selfish and entitled people like this “ethicist” (which is a fake job), it’s Apple’s responsibility to make sure we don’t text and drive and to limit our use on devices so we aren’t addicted.

I could come up with better idiotic ideas and get paid less than him. Hire me!

 

[psac]

It's like asking the Tobacco Companies to come up and be supportive of an Anti-Smoking Campaign...

Right....

You do know that's exactly the case, right? The tobacco industry pays for the "Truth" anti-smoking commercials.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_Initiative

Not voluntarily of course......

 

[tridley68]

This is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard of Apple you should use your time more wisely to produce better products and better batteries for your products.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I think the last thing I need in my iPhone or Mac is a built-in psychologist who questions my use cases.

Who said that was going to happen?

 

[Stella]

Yes and no. Smoke is harmful for you. It is up to you to decide if you are going to smoke or not. But, if smoking is adictive, the company making the cigarettes have a responsibility in this as well. The same thing applies to addictive electronic devices. We will have a very serious issues in the very near future if we don’t do something now.

Smoking also affects non smokers too, passive smoking. Thank god smoking was banned in pubs and restaurants here.

It seems unbelievable today that it used to be acceptable to smoke at your desk at work, also it was considered rude for a non-smoker to ask a smoker to stop smoking, even in a work environment.

 

[jav6454]

As a parent I can tell you that parenting is not an easy task, especially when mom and dad work long hours and they are not there with the kids as much as they would like too. So, this could help parents too. It certainly would help me. On top of that, some parents are not even aware that this is a problem.

I am not saying parenting is easy. Hell, my brother has had his issues with his 4 yo. However, parent's shouldn't expect a corporation to supplant what they need to do. I can agreed as an aide to help out, but not a supplantation of parental guidance.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I am not saying parenting is easy. Hell, my brother has had his issues with his 4 yo. However, parent's shouldn't expect a corporation to supplant what they need to do. I can agreed as an aide to help out, but not a supplantation of parental guidance.

Who said that was going to happen?

 

[DesterWallaboo]

This is idiotic. First, everyone is responsible for themselves. It isn’t Apple’s job, in any way, to try to control how much people use their devices. Secondly, who cares if someone is on their phone “too much”? What’s it hurt? Nothing. Go away with this junk.

I agree it's not Apple's job to monitor or police these activities. However, they do need to expand their parental controls over what currently exists.

 

[jav6454]

Who said that was going to happen?

Read this:

So, for example, if someone chose the medium "regular" level, a DM from a friend on Instagram would appear on the lock screen. But at the same time, something less important -- like when Instagram sends out a reminder to view a friend's Story -- would be prevented from appearing. "And then Apple could say, by default, everyone is in the middle level -- and instantly it could save a ton of users a ton of energy in dealing with this," Harris explained.

If Apple implemented similar features, Manjoo pointed out that it could set a precedent for the industry as a whole.

Basically the feature works to block content. Furthermore, the feature would block a kid from using the device after XYZ hours of usage. Blocking and allowing phone usage is something a parent should tell a kid. That way both understand the limits and expectation of using a device.

Throwing it onto software is just making your kid grow up in an environment where the computer is the parent.

 

[SecuritySteve]

Who said that was going to happen?

The first suggestion was an app questioning how often you use it. "Are you sure you want to be on instagram this much..."

Who are we to judge if someone is using social media excessively? The interest in that could lead a child to pursue a career in journalism or activism. An adult using the app may be doing it professionally as well, such as a PR firm posting on a politician's twitter or instagram.

 

[Deep Dish]

It's like asking the Tobacco Companies to come up and be supportive of an Anti-Smoking Campaign...

Right....

Good example. Tobacco companies actually do pay for anti-smoking campaigns. I think it was back in the 90's that the government started making them do it.

 

[mikethemartian]

Maybe Apple could develop iHomework. For every homework question the kid gets right he/she gets to text for five minutes.

 

[macTW]

You do know that's exactly the case, right? The tobacco industry pays for the "Truth" anti-smoking commercials.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_Initiative

Not voluntarily of course......

The difference with smoking is, as with safe driving, the externalities directly effect people around you. A coworker, for example, cannot control smoke if their coworkers is smoking at their desk. Using ones iPhone doesn’t directly and guaranteed-ly effect surrounding people. Hence why it shouldn’t be regulated like this bimbo “ethicist” (what a fake job) is advocating for.

 

[ViewRoyal]

"Imagine if, once a week, your phone gave you a report on how you spent your time, similar to how your activity tracker tells you how sedentary you were last week."

Seriously??? Do you really need an app to tell you how much you use your phone?

Why can't Apple make an iPhone that is "less addictive"... You know, an iPhone that nobody would want to use. Yeah, that's the ticket!

But seriously, it's NOT the iPhone hardware that makes it "addictive" for some people. It's the apps that makes the iPhone, and any other smartphone or tablet or notebook or desktop, "addictive".

That being the case, don't blame Apple for other developers' apps. If you are "addicted" to Twitter, Facebook, games, or any other type of smartphone app, blaming Apple and asking them to "fix" it is just a waste of everybody's time.

If you think that you are "addicted" to an app, don't use it... Problem solved!

 

[MacTiki]

It seems unbelievable today that it used to be acceptable to smoke at your desk at work, also it was considered rude for a non-smoker to ask a smoker to stop smoking, even in a work environment.

One better.

Doctors once prescribed menthol cigarettes to people that had coughs.

Talk about job security.

 

[IJ Reilly]

The first suggestion was an app questioning how often you use it. "Are you sure you want to be on instagram this much..."

Who are we to judge if someone is using social media excessively? The interest in that could lead a child to pursue a career in journalism or activism. An adult using the app may be doing it professionally as well, such as a PR firm posting on a politician's twitter or instagram.

My point remains: the suggestions in the article have nothing to do with what Apple was actually asked to do.
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Read this:


Basically the feature works to block content. Furthermore, the feature would block a kid from using the device after XYZ hours of usage. Blocking and allowing phone usage is something a parent should tell a kid. That way both understand the limits and expectation of using a device.

Throwing it onto software is just making your kid grow up in an environment where the computer is the parent.

And again, the article related to nothing that Apple was asked to do.

 

[lunarworks]

It is a parent's job to monitor kids phone usage, not a corporation's.

The corporation can supply the tools to help the parents monitor their kids' phone usage... unless you wanna hover over your kids' shoulders 24/7.

 

[MistrSynistr]

This is idiotic. First, everyone is responsible for themselves. It isn’t Apple’s job, in any way, to try to control how much people use their devices. Secondly, who cares if someone is on their phone “too much”? What’s it hurt? Nothing. Go away with this junk.

No one has personal responsibility anymore. "You are an idiot, and not self reflective." We must control how much you use things as well as how much you do not.