What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Persuasive Design Online

Apps and sites are all competing for our attention 📢👀 Over the years, numerous strategies have been developed which are intended to influence users’ behaviour – making us more likely to remain on a site, game or platform for longer periods of time. These techniques are known as ‘persuasive design’ and can have a particularly profound effect on children and young people 😳

Despite these tactics’ evident effectiveness, there are still plenty of ways to help prevent yourself (and your child) from being psychologically swayed. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the potential risks posed by persuasive design online – and offers some top tips for recognising and reducing its impact on young people’s decision making.

For many companies who operate in the online space, attention and engagement are the holy grail. Social media sites in particular make deliberate creative choices to keep people scrolling, reading, watching and clicking. This phenomenon is known as ‘persuasive design’ and it’s being employed in the vast majority of the digital world’s most popular destinations.

A study by the charity 5Rights Foundation concluded that “…the brain’s response to rewards and punishments can be leveraged through persuasive design to keep children online.” To tie in with Safer Internet Day 2024, our #WakeUpWednesday guide can help to educate youngsters on the effects of persuasive design – and suggests ways to insulate themselves from its influence.