Technology addiction can take on various forms — while some people cannot get off of social media, others find that they spend nearly all day playing video games. Regardless of the form it takes, there is no doubt that technology addiction has increased significantly in the past few years. In March 2018, the Pew Research Center reported that 77 percent of U.S. adults go online daily and 26 percent find themselves online “almost constantly.”
Gamification expert Gabe Zichermann was recently featured in a CNN article in which he shed some light on why technology addiction is becoming increasingly difficult to conquer. Read on for some highlights:
“Games and apps are designed to get you hooked.”
Before delving deeper into the issue, Gabe revealed the main reason behind addiction to specific apps: “Games and apps are designed to get you hooked.” Take it from Gabe who has worked with companies that design apps with this premise in mind. The companies behind your favorite apps are most likely using gamification and other algorithms with the goal of keeping you engaged and on their app for as long as possible.
It is not uncommon for apps to reward or incentivise users.
Many apps, whether it is a gaming or social media app, include some kind of rewards program. For example, logging in everyday can grant users with points they can later use to make an in-app purchase. Because users want to win the prize, they may log in everyday and find themselves spending more time on the app than intended. As a result, tech companies succeed in modifying users’ behavior, thus feeding their already prevalent technology addiction.
The key is to cut down technology usage and use gamification for good.
The key in decreasing technology addiction is to first decrease technology use. But how can this be accomplished when technology addiction is paramount? According to Gabe, regulation is essential. Not only is regulation essential, regulations must be flexible and easily adaptable since technology is a rapidly changing field.
Simply monitoring technology usage is not enough. Taking action by placing restrictions on certain apps, for example, has proven to help users tremendously. This is the main goal of Onward, an app created by Gabe that is focused on helping users conquer their tech addiction. Apple has also contributed to the battle against technology addiction by developing their own program for limiting screen time.
Click here to read all of Gabe’s comments featured on CNN.
Book Gabe Zichermann for Your Next Event
In addition to the dangers of tech addiction, Gabe Zichermann also knows a great deal on making positive use of technology in the workplace. In his keynote, Gabe teaches attendees how they can use technology to increase customer satisfaction and lead their own business to success. If you’re interested in booking Gabe to speak at an upcoming event, please call 1.800.345.5607 for more information.
