Is smartphone addiction a failure of personal self-control, or is it an engineered design feature? This project investigates how modern digital systems from social media feeds to conversational AI and how they are built to maximize engagement through unpredictable rewards, notifications, and infinite scrolls. By analyzing the "Growth, Engagement, Monetization" (GEM) business model alongside legal and public health debates, the project evaluates whether responsibility for digital burnout should fall on users, tech companies, or regulators.