given the equally casual approach most technologists have towards embedding user behaviours into applications, the potential feedback loop of many companies deliberately creating habits in users, and then other firms judging those people based on their collected habits is distressing.
instead of sneaking malware and pop ups on to your computer as you browse, the malware is installed inside of you, as habits. there's no glaring pop up telling me there's something wrong with my windows license.
having uninstalled my social apps for several weeks now, i still find myself turning the phone on and staring at the homescreen for a few seconds. my eyes dully glazed over. it's more insidious than the popup, which i could close with a click. with this, i have to be mindful, and grab back the reins of my body. the process is internal.
given the research on the involuntary nature of habits, i question the ethics of creating these behaviours at all.
is it ethical to create involuntary behaviours in your users?
is it ethical to judge users for behaviours deliberately created in them by applications?
should the attention of users be better protected?
can we start developing consumer applications that aren't deliberately designed to capitalise on the attention of their users?
how can we educate people to navigate a world of applications designed to hold and capitalise on their attention?
media awareness class in high school did not prepare me for this brave new world. :P