App Showcase: Sift - News Therapy

What it does

Sift is a news and media literacy app designed to combat news anxiety. It takes complex, often contentious topics like immigration, gun control, and climate change and unpacks them with deep historical context. Instead of chasing breaking headlines, the app provides long-form, multi-part articles that use interactive data visualizations, timelines, and primary sources to encourage critical thinking and a more mindful approach to information consumption.

Where it shines

Sift excels at making learning interactive and reflective. A standout moment is the "Take a guess" feature (01:06), where users interact with sliders to estimate statistics before the real data is revealed. This turns a passive chart into an engaging quiz. The app also effectively brackets the reading experience with emotional check-ins. Before reading, it asks how you feel about the news (00:18), and after, it prompts you to reflect again (02:56), reinforcing its core mission as "news therapy."

UX highlights

• Mindful Framing: The entire experience, from the initial onboarding (00:00) to the post-article surveys, is framed around emotional well-being and reducing anxiety.
• Interactive Learning: The app consistently uses interactive elements like quizzes (01:27), draggable timelines (01:36), and data guessing games (01:06) to keep the user engaged and aid retention.
• Layered Content: "Deep dive" sections (01:59) allow users to explore sub-topics without cluttering the main article, giving them control over information depth.
• Primary Source Integration: Sift includes scans of historical documents like "The North Star" newspaper (01:54), adding a powerful layer of authenticity and context.
• No Upfront Friction: The app requires no account creation to get started, allowing users to experience the core value proposition immediately.
• Consistent Visual Language: A calm color palette and elegant typography create a focused, non-sensationalist reading environment, visually supporting the app's mission.

Monetization & growth

Monetization mechanics like paywalls or subscription prompts are not visible in this recording. The app focuses entirely on delivering its core educational content without interruption. There is a prompt to sign up for an email list (03:42), which suggests a content marketing or community-building growth strategy. The app also includes a prominent sharing feature on its bookmark screen (03:36), encouraging organic growth.

Who it’s for

Sift is for news consumers who feel overwhelmed or anxious about the modern media landscape. Its target audience likely includes students, educators, and lifelong learners who want to understand complex issues deeply rather than just follow the daily news cycle. It appeals to users who value context, critical thinking, and a calmer, more deliberate approach to staying informed.

Notes & opportunities

The user flow is very polished, but the transition between the end of an article and the feedback survey could be smoother. After the last page of content (02:46), the user is returned to the main feed, and the survey appears as a new card at the top (02:53). A more direct transition could feel more seamless. Additionally, while the content is rich, the main feed (04:01) could benefit from more visual variety or better information hierarchy to distinguish between different topics.