A writer at Android Police replaced algorithm-driven social media feeds with a self-built tool using Google’s NotebookLM, cutting what he described as compulsive doomscrolling from his daily routine.
The account, published by Android Police, offers a practical walkthrough of how one user restructured his information diet after growing dissatisfied with the content major platforms served him.
The Problem With Algorithmic Feeds
Social media platforms including Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance’s TikTok, and X use engagement-optimized recommendation systems designed to maximize time on screen.
Meta disclosed in its 2023 annual filing that its recommendation AI now drives more than 30% of content shown in Facebook feeds. The figure reflects how little of what users see reflects their own active choices.
The writer said he noticed the problem gradually — opening the same apps out of habit and leaving with little he had actually sought out.
What NotebookLM Is
Google launched NotebookLM in 2023 as an AI-powered research tool that lets users upload documents, articles, and sources, then query them through a conversational interface.
It draws only from materials the user provides. By design, it surfaces no advertising and runs no engagement algorithm.
How the Custom Feed Works
The writer assembled a personal reading pipeline by feeding NotebookLM with RSS sources, newsletters, and long-form articles he selected himself.
He then used the tool’s summarization and query features to surface the information he wanted, on his own schedule, without the platform deciding what came next.
The approach requires more setup than opening a social app. Even so, he said the deliberate friction was part of what made it effective — it broke the reflex of mindless scrolling.
Broader Context
Concerns about algorithmic content and compulsive phone use have drawn attention from public health researchers and regulators.
The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in 2023 warning that social media use poses risks to adolescent mental health, citing “excessive use” as a contributing factor. The advisory called on platforms to implement stronger safeguards.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has flagged digital behavior patterns as an emerging area of public health concern, though it has stopped short of classifying compulsive social media use as a formal disorder.
Screen time among adults in the United States averaged four hours and 37 minutes per day on mobile devices in 2023, according to data firm eMarketer, with social apps accounting for the largest single share.
NotebookLM does not publicly disclose user numbers. Google has not issued official usage figures for the product.
The tool remains free at the standard tier, with a paid NotebookLM Plus plan available through Google One subscriptions.
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