# The Infinite Scroll Was a Design Crime. Now Meta is Paying for It.

DevFeed: [The Infinite Scroll Was a Design Crime. Now Meta is Paying for It.](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/the-infinite-scroll-was-a-design-crime-now-meta-is-paying-for-it-9277.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://webdesignerdepot.com/the-infinite-scroll-was-a-design-crime-now-meta-is-paying-for-it/>)

Author: Simon Sterne

Published: 2026-08-25T11:30:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Web Designer Depot](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/web-designer-depot.md>)

Topics: [web design](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web-design.md>), [User experience (UX)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ux.md>), [Usability](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/usability.md>), [Front end](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/frontend.md>), [Web Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web-development.md>), [Web](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/web.md>), [Document Object Model (DOM)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/dom.md>), [Software Engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/software-engineering.md>), [browser](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/browser.md>), [browsers](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/browsers.md>), [CSS](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/css.md>)

Tags: [addictive-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/addictive-design.md>), [behavioral-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/behavioral-design.md>), [browser](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/browser.md>), [browsers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/browsers.md>), [css](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/css.md>), [dark-patterns](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dark-patterns.md>), [design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/design.md>), [design-ethics](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/design-ethics.md>), [digital-detox](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/digital-detox.md>), [digital-wellness](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/digital-wellness.md>), [dopamine-loops](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dopamine-loops.md>), [ethical-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ethical-design.md>), [front-end-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/front-end-development.md>), [infinite-scroll](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/infinite-scroll.md>), [meta](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/meta.md>), [meta-lawsuit](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/meta-lawsuit.md>), [meta-trial](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/meta-trial.md>), [social-media-lawsuit](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/social-media-lawsuit.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>), [tech](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech.md>), [tech-ethics](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech-ethics.md>), [tech-industry](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech-industry.md>), [tech-news](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech-news.md>), [ui-ux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ui-ux.md>), [usability](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/usability.md>), [user-experience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/user-experience.md>), [ux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux.md>), [ux-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux-design.md>), [ux-usability](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux-usability.md>), [web-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web-design.md>), [web-development](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web-development.md>)

## AI overview

The article argues that infinite scroll prioritized addictive engagement and advertising over usability, accessibility of stopping cues, and front-end integrity. It discusses legal scrutiny of Meta's Instagram and Facebook feeds, performance and state-management problems, and calls on web professionals to abandon the pattern.

## Source excerpt

The infinite scroll was never a UX feature--it was a slot machine disguised as code. Now, as Meta faces a historic trial over algorithmic addiction, web designers must finally confront the ugly truth: we sacrificed basic usability and human willpower just to keep users trapped in a bottomless pit.