The Indicator from Planet Money
The Indicator from Planet Money
NPR
How your phone keeps you scrolling ... even when you want to stop
9 minutes Posted Jun 19, 2026 at 7:00 am.
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Show notes
You pick up your phone to do one quick task, and suddenly 20 minutes have flown by without you even noticing. How do apps do that to you? Today on the show, we bring you an episode of Short Wave that explains how your phone is designed specifically to hold your attention.

Fact checking by Tyler Jones.

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