uxlab

[uxlab]

'Nothing here to see, kiddo’

As someone addicted to doom-scrolls on Twitter, seeing the 'You're All Caught Up' message on your Instagram feed for the first time felt a bit odd. It gave out an adult-chiding-a-child -- 'Nothing here to see, kiddo' -- kind of vibe. But the wisdom was deeply comforting like a favorite quote stuck on a wall, that motivates and shapes your destiny. The gentle nudge, philosophical in intent but casual in tone, showed a mirror to social media's addictive power and how we all succumb to it. It gave out a message that the company values the status of your mental health and its relationship with the product they have designed. It was also the first time I became aware of the power and responsibility of of UX writing and its positive impact on users. But around August last year Insta tweaked their design a bit and began suggesting posts from the feed and some ads. Perhaps they realized that this concern for digital wellness of users were not helping them sell. It's always risky for pubs to ask customers not to binge drink.