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Science Quickly

Science Quickly

What science says about endless phone scrolling

Oct 16, 2026 · 24m

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About this episode

How much screen time is too much? In this episode of Science Quickly, Scientific American associate editor Allison Parshall explores the growing debate over screen addiction and problematic social media use. From landmark lawsuits against tech companies to the psychology behind endless scrolling, she explains what researchers know about digital dependence, why social platforms are designed to keep us engaged and how some people are turning to addiction-style recovery programs for help. Recommended Reading: Meta to pay $18 billion and make sweeping app changes to settle social media harms lawsuit E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories…