A man from Pincourt, Que., built a social media app to help people escape the endless scroll. Alexis Bosse, 21, launched Lyvio in May 2026. The app has no algorithm, no ads, and at the end of the feed, there is a message that says “You’ve seen it all. The rest is offline.” “The idea really came to mind two years ago when I wanted a healthier experience on social media, but I couldn’t really find something,” said Bosse. He adds he was “addicted” to doomscrolling, spending hours a day on social media. He knew he needed to cut back but says even that was hard. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), the Université du Québec à Montréal student says he taught himself how to code and created the app. “I reached out to some developers in Montreal, and they were asking for $30,000 to $50,000, which I don’t have as a student,” said Bosse. A 2026 report from Statistics Canada recommends no more than two hours of screen time a day. But the agency found nearly 40 per cent of young people do not follow that guideline. Tech analyst Carmi Levy says some social media platforms have moved away from building community and toward maximizing profit. “It’s about algorithms deciding what you see, what you’re most likely to want to see next,” Levy said. “It’s really software ensuring that you stay on the platform for as long as possible.” Bosse, who is studying business, says he did not build the app for the money. “The goal really is for people to close the app and close their phone once they’re seen everything,” he said. In the future, he says he wants to create a business model that also aligns with his mission. “We can take matters into our own hands and really have a change on the world,” said Bosse.
