App To Stop You Wasting Time Online

11 April 2014, 06:34 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A Northumbria University student's come up with an app that helps you stop wasting time online.

The app, called TIME, was designed buy Melissa Smith - a Fashion Communication student.

The 22 year old from Durham designed the app as part of her course.

The idea behind it is that it runs in the background and updates records throughout the day, noting down how long you're spending on other apps like Twitter and Facebook.

You can then find out how much of your day you spent on those apps and make a decision to try and spend less time on them in future.

It encourages users to switch off and engage in more traditional activities.

Melissa told Capital:
'I noticed on observation how people use their spare time and how they react socially, like on trains or out in public.

People just engage completely in their mobile.

I was kind of angered by it but I wanted to come up with a positive remedy to it. 

People are increasingly distracted by their digital devices.

I noticed, especially in cities, that more and more people are walking around not even realising where they are going because they are zoned in on their digital activity.

It’s also sad to see parents distracted by their phones when they are with their children, or conversations being interrupted by text alerts.

My concept is not about discouraging use, but about being aware of how we use digital technology and how the technology itself can encourage us to engage in other, offline activities."

The idea won an international award at the Orange Student Designers competition - entitled Orange Spreads Your Wings.

Melissa was named as winner in the Design For All category for her observations and research into the ‘always-connected’ culture.

Melissa was presented with her award by Facebook’s Director of Product Design, Margaret Stewart (pictured) at a prestigious ceremony in Paris.

You can see her award submission video below: