Can doomscrolling be stopped before it starts? How Mivo app targets autopilot scrolling habits
Sometimes, we're mostly on autopilot mode when doomscrolling
We’ve all done it. You pick up your phone for something quick, maybe the weather, maybe a message and before you know it, it’s 2 am, and you've found yourself on your ex-best friend's college roommate's sister's page. (It's not an exaggeration).
As doomscrolling becomes an increasingly familiar habit across age groups, a new generation of apps is trying less to punish the behaviour and more to gently interrupt it.
One of the latest entries is Mivo Scrolling, a screen-time companion designed to track usage and surface insights about how and why people spend time on their devices. At first glance, it resembles a typical digital wellbeing tracker. But its philosophy is notably different: instead of blocking apps or enforcing limits, it avoids restriction altogether, relying on awareness rather than control.
A softer take on “slow tech”
Where traditional screen-time tools often act like digital gatekeepers—locking apps, setting hard caps, or issuing warnings—Mivo positions itself more like a nudge.
The app is part of a broader slow tech” movement, which prioritises healthier relationships with devices over strict digital detoxes. It is currently available as a free download on Apple’s App Store.
Mivo is not alone in this shift. As concern grows around the mental health impact of constant content consumption, particularly among younger users tech companies are experimenting with alternatives that focus on reflection over restriction.
Among them are Bond, which uses AI to suggest personalised lifestyle adjustments, and Dreambeans, a newer Google-backed tool designed to disrupt habitual negative news consumption.
A pause before the scroll
Speaking to TechCrunch, Mivo developer Pranshu Raithatha explained the thinking behind the app’s approach:
“Most screen time tools try to restrict people after the habit is already happening. Mivo adds a small reflection moment right when someone opens a social app, so they can pause and ask why they’re opening it before falling into an automatic scroll.”
Rather than attempting to eliminate scrolling entirely, Mivo aims to introduce friction at just the right moment—before users slip into autopilot.
Inside the app: how Mivo works
Instead of imposing strict digital limits, Mivo focuses on structured awareness tools designed to make scrolling more intentional:
Custom scroll sessions: Users can allocate dedicated time windows for social apps, allowing guilt-free browsing within set limits.
Post-scroll check-ins: Once a session ends, the app prompts users to reflect on their experience—whether they were bored, distracted, or genuinely engaged.
Micro-pauses: Optional reminders appear every few minutes, acting as gentle “speed bumps” during extended scrolling sessions.
Home screen widget: A live counter displays daily usage and tracks time remaining until the next scheduled scroll window.
Rather than asking users to quit scrolling altogether, Mivo’s core idea is simpler: notice it while it’s happening.
