Random header image... Refresh for more!

Digital Rest Points

Dirt recently had a newsletter about digital rest points. It was about an Instagram account, though the concept would work well on any slow-moving site. Maybe not Twitter, but Facebook or Instagram. And the person posted the “breaks” at Stories, though it would probably work better as a post. I digress.

The idea is that the posts would show up in your feed, tucked around all the other updates, and they would be a visual reminder that you’re scrolling. And may want to ask yourself if you’re still getting something good out of that scrolling, and maybe take a break if you’re not. It’s just a pretty scene, reminding the person to pause.

It feels like programmers should have built these accounts as a default account one must follow in order to be on the site. Except it would defeat the purpose of getting you to mindlessly spend time on the platform. But I love this idea: digital rest points that remind you to take a breath. Look around.

2 comments

1 Mary { 04.20.21 at 10:32 am }

“The idea is that the posts would show up in your feed, tucked around all the other updates, and they would be a visual reminder that you’re scrolling“

It’s funny. I am so social-media illiterate that I have absolutely no idea what this means. What is a feed? What does it mean to be “tucked sound all the other updates?”

2 Sharon { 04.21.21 at 2:00 pm }

You’re right that this would be totally contrary to the aim of these social media apps/sites, which is to keep users scrolling mindlessly for as long as possible.

I have started setting a timer for myself before I click onto Facebook or Instagram, which serves a similar purpose: alerting me to the fact that I’ve been on the site/app for 10 minutes and should probably take a break and/or shift to another activity.

(c) 2006 Melissa S. Ford
The contents of this website are protected by applicable copyright laws. All rights are reserved by the author