This clever new app bribes teens to get off their phones, with help from brands like Starbucks and Adidas

"Parents make "deals" with their kids everyday. Mow the lawn and get your allowance. Finish your dinner, and you'll get some ice cream. When Corey Scholibo was eight, his mother made him an offer: if he stopped sucking his thumb, he'd earn $20. He stopped in a week, and she made good on the promise."

"In January, he launched an app-based service, Dayo Deals, that enables parents to strike bargains with their teenage children-specifically to help them reduce their screen time and social media use. Together, both parties work together to establish time limits and a monetary reward. If the teen stays within the limit, they keep the money; if not, the cash vanishes."

"According to Pew, half of teens between 13 and 17 spend more than four hours a day on their phone. Forty-six percent report being online "almost constantly," with six in ten teens using social media apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. A Pew Research study from 2024 found that four in ten teens and parents argue regularly about screen time, and while 76% of parents say managing screen time is a priority, 43% say it's hard to do."

Corey Scholibo, inspired by childhood deals with his mother, created Dayo Deals, an app-based service launched in January that helps parents and teenagers establish screen time limits with monetary incentives. The service operates on a transactional model where teens earn money by adhering to agreed-upon time restrictions and lose it if they exceed limits. This approach addresses a widespread problem: half of teens aged 13-17 spend over four hours daily on phones, with 46% reporting constant online activity. While parents recognize screen time management as a priority and many teens support digital curfews, implementation remains challenging, with four in ten parents and teens arguing regularly about usage and 43% of parents finding it difficult to enforce limits.

Read at Fast Company