The Disrupted Childhood Report explains commonly-used strategies, and highlights how automated technology both leverages and reinforces human instinct, in order to trigger habits and behaviours. Variously called ‘reward loops’, ‘captology’, ‘sticky’, ‘dwell features’ and ‘extended use strategies’, persuasive design strategies are deliberately baked into digital services and products in order to capture and hold users’ attention and imprint habitual behaviours. Habits and behaviours formed before 9 years old take significant intervention to change. The costs for children, who in the report call for fairer treatment, are palpable. They include personal anxiety, social aggression, denuded relationships, sleep deprivation and impact on education, health and wellbeing. At the same time, the current regime of data surveillance, fuelled by persuasive design, raises ethical, moral and legal questions.

Download the report here: The Disrupted Childhood Report