Three students from Yale University have developed an innovative app called Scroll Toll, designed to help users reduce their screen time while simultaneously promoting charitable donations. Launched in November 2023 by Asher Barondes, Benjamin Siegel, and Chase Reynders, the app allows users to set time limits on various applications. If users exceed these limits, they are prompted to make a donation to one of the app’s partnered charities, creating a financial incentive to limit screen usage.
Barondes, who focuses on the app’s interface and marketing, stated, “We wanted to add more friction to really get people off their phones. We recognized that one way to do so is by having some money tied to it.” The developers hope this approach not only reduces screen time but also contributes to social good.
Upon downloading the app, users set specific time limits for their preferred apps and select a donation amount for each time they exceed those limits. For instance, a user may decide to donate $0.25 for every additional five minutes spent on Instagram. The app offers two options for fulfilling these donations: automatic donations, which are processed as needed, or manual contributions, allowing users to choose when to donate.
Siegel compared the app’s impact on behavior to congestion pricing in urban areas. “The only way to actually change behavior is if people have this balance they have to find between money and time,” he noted.
The idea for Scroll Toll emerged when Siegel and Barondes, both independently working on similar projects, connected through mutual friends while Siegel was taking a gap year before starting at Yale. Reynders joined the team shortly after. During his gap year, Siegel gained significant social media experience through an Instagram and TikTok account that documented adventures, garnering around two million followers. This exposure prompted him to reconsider his relationship with screen time.
“After I posted something, I would look at the stats on my phone and realize how much time people had collectively spent watching it,” Siegel reflected. He aims for Scroll Toll to provide users with a structure that encourages healthier screen time habits.
Since its launch, Scroll Toll has garnered interest within the Yale community. Barondes reported that even among the initial 65 users, the app has shown promising results, with an average reduction of 20 to 30 percent in screen time. As of January 2024, the app has attracted 130 users, and the team continues to enhance its features based on user feedback.
Evan Daneker, a user and resident with Reynders, has been donating to American Forests, a non-profit focused on forest restoration. He appreciated that Scroll Toll does not demand a complete cessation of app usage but instead allows users to set and modify their limits. “I sort of appreciated that Scroll Toll was a little more permissive but still incentivized you to gradually reduce your screen time,” Daneker said.
Another user, Sofia Jacobson, who was new to screen time management apps, found Scroll Toll effective in setting realistic limits. She noted that the app prompted her to reflect on her usage, particularly during periods of mindless scrolling.
The creators of Scroll Toll are committed to further improving their app. They plan to strengthen their partnerships with charities and introduce monthly challenges, such as promoting breast cancer charities during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
While the founders recognize that not every user may prefer a financial incentive linked to their screen time, they remain confident in finding an audience that values this approach. “At the end of the day, you can always delete the app, and while we would love them to stick with it, we’re really trying to be intentional about our audience,” Reynders stated. “We know this isn’t for everybody, but we also believe the people it is for, it really is for.”
