Infinite scrolling, also known asendless scrolling, is an approach toweb design where new material is continually dynamically added to the bottom of the page as the user scrolls downward, leading to the apparent ability to scroll forever. This is in contrast topagination, where material is divided into discrete pages.
In 2019,Aza Raskin, who claims to have invented the infinite scrolling technique, expressed regret at the invention, saying that he 'did not foresee the consequences' and describing it as 'one of the first products designed to not simply help a user, but to deliberately keep them online for as long as possible'.[1]
There are many variations of infinite scrolling, including:
Infinite scrolling with a button to load more content, giving the user more control over their browsing. An example of this isGoogle Search.[2]
Infinite scrolling with integratedpagination, indicating to the user how far they have scrolled, an example of which being the mobile website ofGoogle Shopping.[2]
Usability research suggests infinite scrolling can present an accessibility issue.[3]
The lack of stopping cues has been described as a pathway to smartphone addiction andsocial media addiction.[4][5]
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