Each project created for this research aimed to explore the stacked pressures loop. The objective was to inform individuals about the potential harm social media causes through its algorithm and advocate for how mental health is affected through continued use.
To address this situation, it was obvious to communicate the concern using the platforms in which the algorithm mechanism is built: social media and social platforms.
Artifacts
UX / UI Recommendation
In this artifact, I break down three specific Instagram design changes that could help users feel less overwhelmed and more in control of how they use the app. I connect the recommendations to what my study found about how recommendation-heavy feeds, constant performance cues, and endless content can train people into overload, pressure to present themselves a certain way, and autopilot scrolling.
The result is an intentional overhaul to the social media platform that encourages ethical design with developer responsibility, and streamlined interface tweaks that give users more agency with their usage.
Policy Recommendation
This policy recommendation for Instagram outlines realistic safeguards social media platforms can implement to reduce the reinforcement of harmful use habits, while still keeping the benefits of connection and discovery. I grounded the recommendations in my study’s stacked pressures loop, which explains how recommendation-heavy systems, constant prompts, and performance cues can normalize overload, pressure to keep up, and autopilot scrolling over time.
This video brief frames digital well-being as a design responsibility, not just a “self-control” issue. It proposes three implementable standards, all aimed at restoring user autonomy and raising the baseline for ethical platform design.