Mental well-being as an external cost of the attention economy: A behavioral perspective

Research objective: The aim of the article is to present the deterioration of mental well-being as a significant, unpriced external cost (negative externality) of the attention economy. Methodology: The article is based on an interdisciplinary analysis that synthesizes concepts from behavioral psychology and economics to assess the consequences of the dominant business model employed by digital platforms. Main findings: The study demonstrates that mechanisms such as behavioral addiction, cognitive overload, social comparison, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) are systematically reinforced by platform design. This leads to a form of market failure that is not captured by standard measures of economic welfare, such as consumer surplus. Application of the study: The findings may serve as a foundation for the development of new regulatory approaches, particularly at the design level (design-level regulations), as a more effective way to internalize hidden social costs. Originality/Novelty of the study: The novelty of this work lies in framing mental well-being as an external cost of the attention economy and in proposing design-level regulations as an alternative to traditional economic policy instruments.