Exploring Digital Addiction and Its Impact

This assignment delves into the realm of digital addiction, exploring its various forms, such as internet addiction, and its consequences on mental health. It also touches upon prevention strategies, the role of gamification in brand app experiences, and the use of artificial intelligence for personalization. The report highlights the importance of considering these aspects to create a more effective marketing strategy, particularly for millennials who are increasingly affected by digital addiction.

DIGITAL AND KNOWLEDGE
ECONOMY COURSEOWRK - 1
F21DE
FEBRUARY 22, 2021
MOHAMMED SAAD
H00362214

Problem Statement
Addiction is a concept which is used for many actions we conduct in daily life and has multiple
meanings depending on the situation [1]. It can be boiled down to a desire for an object,
person, or an action. The continuation of this desire despite the negative effects it strikes on
a person’s physical or mental health is an indicator of addiction [2]. This research will focus
on the side effects of internet addiction on students.
Most educational platforms such as Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, etc. offer students a
platform in which they can expand their existing skill-set but students still suffer from the issue
of getting distracted and start multitasking with things that do not relate to their academics [3].
There are many sociological and psychological reasons as to why students deviate from their
lectures. If a student was provided an incentive which helps them keep their mind off
distractions, focus on education is more prominent [4].
The purpose of this proposal is to target the problems that affect a student’s daily lives with
regard to internet addiction. Studies conducted have shown that internet addiction among
students are accompanied by major problems including drop in academics, reduced
curriculum study, reduced interpersonal relationships, weight gain/loss, and anxiety [5].
Studies confirmed that increasing the internet use, internet addiction increases. This provides
a market gap that can assist students and provide an incentive to fight addiction with the help
of digital solutions.
Executive Summary
The company will be named StudentHub, which literally means what it says. A hub/educational
platform that assists students who are going through their internet addiction phase and combat
their struggles.
StudentHub will be an application available on iOS/Play Store/Windows/MacOS and gives
students an incentive to focus on their lectures, studies, and other activities that get inhibited
by technology. The application will feature a ‘lock’ button that locks the user’s phone once
selected. When a user locks their phone, they start earning ‘points’. These points can be used
for everyday savings; offering deals from hundreds of brands including retail, shopping,
entertainment, and scholarships all over the UAE. Examples of offers include ‘50% off on
movie ticket’, ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free’, etc. According to Edvisors, 76 percent of students that polled
said they had gone penniless at some time during their college career, which has gotten
significantly worse over the COVID-19 situation [6]. StudentHub assists here, by allowing

students to lock their phone while studying, and then use the points earned for their favourite
daily-life purposes.
The app will be run on all mobile platforms, and through browser extensions. It’s target
audience will be students of all ages.
Literature Survey
Internet Addiction and its consequences:
Despite the beneficial aspects of Internet usage, addiction has been on the rise and has been
associated with reduced physical activity and causes psychological and sociological
consequences among adolescents. Internet addiction manifests among adolescents in
several ways that enclose various aspects of Internet usage [7]. These include information
overload, which is increased online surfing leading to reduced work productivity [7].
Psychology reports have stated that whenever internet addicts feel stressed, lonely,
overwhelmed, or anxious, they turn to the Internet to seek comfort. Reports from University of
Iowa claimed that internet addiction is quite common among males who are suffering from
depression [8]. In fact, the prevalence of Internet addiction and depression was found to be
6% and 21.5% respectively [9]. Among this, Chatting was found to be the main purpose for
Internet usage. With statistical analysis, it was proved that individuals who were depressed
and had a score of < 60% were more likely to have Internet addiction [9]
Compulsions that concern interactive activities online such as trading stocks, online auctions,
gambling, and online shopping tend to have an impact on a person’s financial stability and
disrupt their duties. Losing excessive amounts of money causes stress in relationships. It is
very easy for individuals who are susceptible to gambling to get hooked online [10].
Combatting Internet Addiction
Majority of researchers (e.g., Jang & Ji, 2012; Lan & Lee, 2013) concluded that preventive
interventions should focus on adolescents. This is due to the fact that children are in their
formative years which is when they are highly influenced by the internet which causes
increased rates of addiction. Due to this, prevention programs have been set up in school
environments to counter this issue [11]. Internet based technologies possess the capacity to
prevent substance use disorders [12] such as drug addiction, AI therapists, etc. But prevention

is always better than cure. Leading students away from walking down the path to addiction
using Digital Solutions is the goal of StudentHub.
Technology hijacks a person’s mind by controlling their actions through various temptations.
What StudentHub aims to do is to allow students to get rewarded for studying, by locking their
phone and potentially earning offers they can purchase and use on their favourite
retail/entertainment/dining stores.
Rewards Exchange Platforms
Many Rewards Exchange platforms have been implemented which involved blockchain based
transactions for customer loyalty programs. Blockchain is useful for multiple party functions
and provides significant detail about how rewards are utilized in real-time [13]. Reward points
can also be treated as assets and are also tradable in most programs. KPMG research
discovered that 61% millennials would rather donate their reward points than use them for
their own benefit [14].
Altogether, this results in high customer satisfaction which is the key purpose of such
programs.
Since StudentHub requires the customer satisfaction and retention in order for the platform to
grow, it will be based around a rewards platform which is tailor-made for students for their
daily life benefit.
Digital Solutions
When a single student spends 10% of their time in their university lectures on their
smartphones, that’s potentially a large amount of tuition money and potential wasted.
StudentHub offers a freemium model which allows students to earn points every time they lock
their phone during their lectures. These points can then be traded with over 400 brand partners
that exist within the UAE. The key selling point of StudentHub will be a built in scholarships
platform which includes the same technologies except now, students who have been hit hard
by the digital crisis from COVID-19 have the option of applying for a scholarship from their
favourite university in UAE. StudentHub aims to advertise the scholarships platform to provide
a large number of enrolments for universities in turn for free advertising for partnered
universities.
UI/UX
The StudentHub app will be available in the iOS, Android, and Windows free of download. UI
design will be an important aspect of the app. Millennials and Gen-Z will be dominating the
market [15], designing a website that catches the attention of them is going to be important,
as 84% of millennials do not trust traditional advertising campaigns [16]. The UI will feature

responsive design strategies, and a customizable experience which is quick and optimized.
Millennials are the smartphone generation, and tend to be picky with designs [17].
In addition to an extensive UI design, the user experience will go hand in hand, featuring a
gamification based design. Gamification boiled down is the application of game-design
elements and game principles in non-game applications [18]. Gamification has been
groundbreaking in the UX department as it introduces the components of an actual game,
such as rewards, competition, and fun in an application that has nothing related to it. The
premise behind the effectiveness of gamification is because millennials have an instinct to
pursue interesting and fun activities [19]. StudentHub will have a gamification design that is
also rewarding. It includes leaderboards in which students can compete in terms of points
earned with giveaways included which greatly boosts engagement rates among millennials
[20].
AI solutions
Adding on to the UX solution will be hyper personalization using AI. The goal is to apply
automation and smart insights among users for the purpose of serving each user customized
content [21]. Hyper Personalization is important since 91% of customers according to a study
by Accenture expect to be seen and treated as individuals [22]. Since the app runs on mobile
and PC, using AI to adapt existing content to support browsers will be a major step towards
optimization. These methods include:
 Chatbots for ease of communication
 Automated A/B testing
 Access to device details for increased personalization
 Recommendation Engine
Creating AI-Centric marketing personas is a technique used to develop bigger customer-
centered communications. This helps the website and experience meet customer needs while
also increasing conversion rates.
Introducing AI solutions to StudentHub goes hand in hand. Since StudentHub offers a variety
of offers for multitudes of brands, identifying user personas and providing users with tailor-
made recommendations and a customized UX increases user retention. Since StudentHub
also has a scholarships platform, a chatbot will be designed to help guide the user from a point
of confusion to finding their university of choice. The chatbot will also feature psychometric
evaluation, university recommendations, etc. Automated A/B testing will also be implemented
for faster revenue streams.

Deployment
To deploy an application to mobile devices, a developer account for both the Apple Store and
Google Play Store would be required, each costing $99/yr and $25/yr respectively. Both the
Apple and Play stores guidelines will be followed before deployment. Similarly for windows, a
browser extension will be added for the same. In order to advertise the application to the target
audience, programs will be set up in schools and colleges to explain the motivation behind
launching StudentHub.
StudentHub is an excellent way to counter technological addiction. From the problem
statement and the literature review, it was concluded the hardships students face today when
it comes to Internet addiction. Students get rewarded for locking their device and concentrating
on work, which in turn allows them to spend the points they earned on their favourite brands
which allows them to save money. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a known fact COVID-
19 has caused a lot of stress among students [23]. StudentHub aims to help these students
by giving them discounts to universities, and scholarships with the affiliated universities to help
them in the Pandemic.
Competitive Studies
When blockchain based transaction applications were created, the currency would mostly be
obtainable through money or surveys that contain malware. StudentHub offers a gamified
platform in which points are obtained through healthy and fair methods without involving
microtransactions in order to get offers. StudentHub aims to literally be a Hub for students in
which they can compete with their friends, win rewards, giveaways without introducing a
predatory gambling system. For example, Smiles by Etisalat offers a similar platform but
requires monetary transactions in order to gain points.

References
[1] Ejmste.com. 2018. Students’ Internet Addiction: Study and Prevention. [online] Available at:
<https://www.ejmste.com/download/students-internet-addiction-study-and-prevention-
5360.pdf>
[2] 2001. Technology Addiction among Students According to Teacher Views. [online] Available
at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337416138_Technology_Addiction_among_Stude
nts_According_to_Teacher_Views>
[3] Study International. 2019. Netflix and study: Why online students are more easily distracted -
Study International. [online] Available at: <https://www.studyinternational.com/news/online-
class-distract-
multitask/#:~:text=Researchers%20have%20found%2C%20unsurprisingly%2C%20that,their
%20peers%20in%20physical%20classrooms.>
[4] 2016. [online] Available at:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4949020/#:~:text=Studies%20conducted%20o
n%20the%20students,diseases%20(11%2D14).
[5] Throuvala, M., Griffiths, M., Rennoldson, M. and Kuss, D., 2019. School-based Prevention for
Adolescent Internet Addiction: Prevention is the Key. A Systematic Literature Review.
[6] Pubdocs.worldbank.org. 2021. [online] Available at:
<http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/734541589314089887/Covid-and-Ed-Finance-final.pdf>
[7] PsychGuides.com. 2021. Computer/Internet Addiction Symptoms, Causes and Effects -
PsychGuides.com. [online] Available at: <https://www.psychguides.com/behavioral-
disorders/computer-internet-addiction/>
[8] Kuss, D. and Lopez-Fernandez, O., 2018. Internet addiction and problematic Internet use: A
systematic review of clinical research.
[9] Kumar, S., Kumar, A., Badiyani, B., Singh, S., Gupta, A. and Ismail, M.,
2018. RELATIONSHIP OF INTERNET ADDICTION WITH DEPRESSION AND ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE IN INDIAN DENTAL STUDENTS.
[10] Addiction Center. 2017. 5 Types of Internet Addiction - Get Help Today - Addiction Center.
[online] Available at: <https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/internet-addiction/>
[11] Vondráčková, P. and Gabrhelík, R., 2016. Prevention of Internet addiction: A systematic
review. [online] Semanticscholar.org. Available at:
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Prevention-of-Internet-addiction%3A-A-systematic-
Vondr%C3%A1%C4%8Dkov%C3%A1-
Gabrhel%C3%ADk/b366dddf5ae7cff4985ced7c89a39ed73d170715
[12]M, B., VL, N. and P, C., 2017. Use of digital technology in addiction disorders. [online]
PubMed. Available at: <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29540927> [Accessed 22
February 2021].
[13]Ledger Insights - enterprise blockchain. 2017. UAE telecoms firm Etisalat launches
blockchain Rewards Exchange - Ledger Insights - enterprise blockchain. [online] Available at:
<https://www.ledgerinsights.com/etisalat-blockchain-rewards-exchange-uae/>
[14]Assets.kpmg. 2019. [online] Available at:
<https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/xx/pdf/2019/11/customer-loyalty-report.pdf>
[15]Unified Infotech. 2020. What is The Perfect Web Design For Millennial Crowd?. [online]
Available at: <https://www.unifiedinfotech.net/blog/web-design-for-millennial-strategy/>
[16]Moraes, M., 2018. 8 Modern Tips for Marketing to Millennials. [online] Blog.hubspot.com.
Available at: <https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-to-millennials>
[17]Envato. 2016. Designing UX for Millennials. [online] Available at:
<https://envato.com/blog/how-to-design-for-millennials/>
[18]Gamify.com. 2021. What is Gamification? Education, Business & Marketing (2021 Examples).
[online] Available at: <https://www.gamify.com/what-is-gamification>

[19]Taylor & Francis. 2021. The role of gamification in brand app experience: The moderating
effects of the 4Rs of app marketing. [online] Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311908.2019.1576388
[20]Taylor & Francis. 2021. The role of gamification in brand app experience: The moderating
effects of the 4Rs of app marketing. [online] Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311908.2019.1576388
[21]Computer.org. 2021. Hyper Personalization: Customizing Service With AI | IEEE Computer
Society. [online] Available at: <https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-
news/trends/hyper-personalization-customizing-service-with-ai>
[22]Accenture.com. 2021. [online] Available at:
https://www.accenture.com/t20161011T222718__w__/us-en/_acnmedia/PDF-34/Accenture-
Pulse-Check-Dive-Key-Findings-Personalized-Experiences.pdf
[23]The Conversation. 2016. Stressed out, dropping out: COVID has taken its toll on uni students.
[online] Available at: <https://theconversation.com/stressed-out-dropping-out-covid-has-taken-
its-toll-on-uni-students-152004>