Nudging Users or Redesigning Interfaces? Evaluating Novel Strategies for Digital Wellbeing Through inControl

Abstract

As web designers may deliberately adopt design patterns to hook users' attention, researchers and practitioners have innovated several tools for supporting users' digital self-control, hoping to help users self-regulate technology use - especially social networks and video streaming platforms - and achieve digital wellbeing. Unfortunately, these tools often restrict usage, e.g., through self-imposed timers and blockers, limiting interaction possibilities. This paper describes the design, development, and evaluation of two alternative strategies for digital self-control targeting the Facebook and YouTube websites. Specifically, we implemented a Chrome extension that a) highlights when the user is scrolling infinitely by progressively darkening the background (nudging strategy), and b) redesigns the homepages isolating guilty pleasure recommendations and proposing a minimalistic interface (redesign strategy). We compared the two strategies in a three-week field study with 14 participants, finding that both strategies promoted intentional use and allowed participants to decrease time spent and passive scrolling. In particular, participants liked the nudging strategy more as it supported conscious use without changing the overall user experience. We conclude with design implications for moving from traditional digital self-control tools to diverse approaches that may better support digital wellbeing in the long term.