Infinite scroll: Secondary

Overview

Audience

Secondary (ages 11 to 16)

Timing

60 minutes

Learning outcomes

Learners will be able to:

• identify examples of infinite scroll
• recognise other forms of persuasive design and their purpose
• identify the problems/risks posed by persuasive design to users
• consider strategies for mitigating the effects of persuasive design on technology use
• understand where to seek help or support if concerned about their, or others’, use of technology and the internet.

Key vocabulary

Infinite scroll, persuasive design, persuasion, nudge technique, behaviour, choice, healthy, unhealthy, strategies, ethics, principles.

Resources

Preparation

• Read through the ‘Education practitioner learning resource’ on infinite scroll to ensure you have a clear understanding of the area. Ensure you are familiar with your school’s safeguarding policy and procedures as well as the Wales Safeguarding Procedures, in the event of a disclosure or concerns about a learner’s safety or well-being. For more information, see the statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping learners safe’.
• Print slides 13 and 14 (one copy per learner/group) for reference during the activities.

Curriculum links

This resource can support activities delivered as part of the Health and Well-being Area of Learning and Experience.

Key questions (to use as discussion starters or prompts)

• Have you ever scrolled through something online that never ends?
• Has an app or service ever made choices on your behalf?
• What does the term ‘persuasive design’ mean?
• How could the way something is designed affect our behaviour?
• Why would app and device makers want us to spend longer on their products?
• Is it always obvious when something is trying to influence our behaviour?
• What are the possible impacts of persuasive design on our health and
  well-being?
• Is it ethical for developers to use persuasive design in their products?
• What steps can we take to minimise the impact of persuasive design on our behaviour?
• What could you do if you were worried about your own technology habits or those of others?
• Who could you ask for help if you were worried?

Starter activity (10 mins)

Using the accompanying PowerPoint slides, start by asking learners:

• have you ever seen something online that never ends?
• has an app or service ever made choices on your behalf?

Encourage learners to explain their ideas fully (for example ‘I finished watching a video and then another similar video started playing straight afterwards’) and whether they felt it was helpful/unhelpful.

Show learners the examples on slides 5 to 11 and ask them if they have ever seen or experienced this online (thumbs up for ‘Yes’, thumbs down for ‘No’). Show the final example on slide 11 and ask again. Explain that this is known as ‘infinite scroll’ – the website or app will keep loading things you might like to see, and you can keep scrolling for as long as you wish but you will never reach the end!

Ask learners if they have experienced other things online like this, where the experience never comes to a natural end.

Ask learners if they feel features like this are helpful or unhelpful, and why.

Explain that infinite scroll is one technique used by app and device makers to encourage us to use their products/services more often or for longer. These different techniques are known as ‘persuasive design’ – features that persuade us to do something or that sometimes make choices for us.

Activity 1 – Behind the magic (25 mins)

Ask learners how and why developers would design their products to encourage us to engage for longer. Record given examples and discuss how persuasive they feel some of these techniques are.

Explain to learners that, as most websites and apps are free, they mostly make money through showing adverts. Apps may also make money through in-app purchases or using data they collect about their users. To show more adverts to users, app and website developers have come up with tricks to persuade users to keep coming back to the app or site, or spend longer on it.

Using slides 13 and 14, explain some of the most common persuasive design techniques. Ask learners to share any examples of these they have seen in their experiences online.

Using slide 15, ask learners to copy the table and work in small groups to identify the risks that each persuasive design technique may present to physical health, mental well-being and behaviour. An example is provided on the slide.

Feed back as a class and share learners’ ideas. Can learners think of any impact that these techniques (or excessive technology use in general) might have on social well-being (for example relationships, home/school and hobbies)?

Activity 2 – Striking a balance (20 mins)

Show learners slide 16, which outlines the Children’s Code. Explain that there is ongoing work in the UK to encourage app developers to better protect children and young people and their data online, as well as to avoid using nudge techniques.

Discuss with your learners their thoughts on the Children’s Code – does it go far enough? What else could be included? What should the penalties be for companies who don’t comply?

Ask learners to work in their groups and look again at each form of persuasive design and think of strategies that could reduce or remove the effect of that technique (you may wish to provide copies of slides 13 and 14 as a reminder). Ask learners to consider technical strategies (for example turn notifications off in settings, use a timer to set themselves a time limit for use, change privacy/account settings on social media and ‘positive’ nudge techniques) as well as behaviour strategies (for example planning what to do/achieve when online, trying to balance online/offline activities and taking regular breaks).

Encourage learners to record as many ideas as possible and then discuss as a class. Remind learners that everyone is different (as is their use of technology) so not all strategies will work for everyone all the time!

Plenary (5 mins)

Remind learners that using technology and the internet should never have a negative effect on their mental health. If they ever feel this way or notice someone else struggling, they should always seek help. Take a few minutes to discuss with your learners who they would turn to for help in and out of school if they were worried about their use of technology.

Remind learners that they can also contact Meic, which offers free information, advocacy and advice for children and young people in Wales up to the age of 25. Call Meic for free on 080 880 23456, text on 84001 or send instant messages at www.meic.cymru. The service is open from 8 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week.

Opportunities to extend the learning

Sharing top tips

Encourage learners to create an awareness-raising resource (such as a poster, quiz, leaflet, infographic, blog, video clip or drama piece) to share with their peers what persuasive design is and how to manage it positively.

Is it ethical?

Using their understanding of persuasive design and its effects, hold a class debate on ‘Is it ethical to design something knowing it will influence users to behave in a particular way?’

This debate can be extended to discuss how ethical considerations extend to different groups of people (for example children and young people and vulnerable people).