Digital White Spaces: A Cyberpsychology-Informed Framework to Mobile Phone Addiction

Abstract

Mobile phone overuse and attention fragmentation have become pressing societal and public health concerns. Cyberpsychology research highlights addictive engagement loops driven by intermittent rewards, persuasive design, and habit formation. In this article, we use current evidence on mobile-phone addiction and propose "Digital White Spaces" (DWS), a socio-technical framework that combines privacy-preserving monitoring, AI-driven detection of addictive loops, device-mode interventions, and physical signal-limited zones to minimize digital stimulation and internet addiction.