#015: How to Manufacture an Addiction: 6 Hidden Tactics Apps Use To Keep You Scrolling - log out | Lyssna här

Siara breaks down six psychological tactics engineers use to keep you glued to your phone. After reading a book that's reportedly passed around inside companies like Google, Facebook, and Slack, she deep dove to uncover the models they'ev been using for decades and breaks them down today. She walks through how these tactics quietly shape behavior without you realizing it's happening, and why understanding them is the first step to fighting back. She also covers two fast-moving stories worth knowing about: new EU AI Act rules requiring disclosure around AI and deepfakes, and a recent privacy scare involving Claude chats showing up in Google search results.

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Key Takeaways:

The urge to reopen an app seconds after closing it is a trained response.
Nir Eyal's four-step loop of trigger, action, variable reward, and investment is the core model behind most habit-forming apps.
BJ Fogg's Stanford research on persuasive technology directly influenced how Facebook and other platforms were built to be engaging.
Infinite scroll removed the natural stopping point that used to exist on social feeds.
Ghost notifications and notification bait are designed to pull you into an app even when there's nothing new to see.
Variable rewards work because unpredictability keeps you scrolling longer.
Algorithms use exploration and exploitation together, testing new content on you while reinforcing what already works.
Gamification features like streaks turn ordinary actions into something that feels like part of your identity.
The EU AI Act now requires companies to disclose AI interactions, AI-generated content, and deepfakes starting August 2026.
A recent Claude privacy incident is a reminder to review what you've shared with AI chatbots.

Please find the full fact check here.

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