Tim Cook Wants Apple Devices to Be Used for Creativity, Not 'Endless, Mindless Scrolling'

In a new interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he's worried about the "endless, mindless scrolling" behavior that social media inspires people to undertake and is generally concerned that people are "using technology too much."

The interview conducted with Bustle touched heavily on Apple's support of Shine, an app designed to fight social stigmas around mental health issues and is "another powerful example of how technology can be used to help improve people's lives," according to Cook. During the interview, Cook said that "mental health is a crisis" and that he tackles the day-to-day stress of being Apple's CEO by meditation and "being out in nature and feeling so insignificant in the world."

Talking about online and technology addiction, Cook repeated a claim he's made previously, having said that "technology should serve humanity and not the other way around" and that he's fundamentally worried that people are using technology too much, and Apple's aim is to try and help them.

I've always thought that technology should serve humanity and not the other way around. And I always worried about people using technology too much. And so, we came out with Screen Time to try to give people a true reading of the amount of time they're really spending on their devices because generally, it's a lot more than they say.

Cook went on to state that the "endless scrolling" of social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, although not mentioned directly, are surrounding users with "negativity." He said that Apple wants its customers to enjoy their products to connect with family and friends, not to use them for "endless, mindless scrolling."

Aza Raskin, the creator of the infinite scrolling mechanism on social media, said in 2019 that he is "so sorry" for his invention, adding that he regrets what it's done to society. He said the goal with the idea was to help create the "most seamless experience possible for users," but that regrettably, it has turned out to be a ploy to "keep them online for as long as possible."

The Shine app with a "mission to make caring for your mental health easier, more representative, and more inclusive" was crowned Apple's best app of 2020 is available to download for free on the App Store [Direct Link].