Someone asked me a question about it. Yes, these darn things are very addictive, I know from personal experience, unfortunately. And the big companies want it this way. In fact, there are several lawsuits running about this very topic right now:
Instagram's parent company Meta and Google's YouTube face claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. TikTok and Snap, which were originally named in the lawsuit, settled for undisclosed sums...
Mark Lanier delivered the opening statement for the plaintiffs first, in a lively display where he said the case is as "easy as ABC," which he said stands for "addicting the brains of children." He called Meta and Google "two of the richest corporations in history" that have "engineered addiction in children's brains."
... He emphasized the findings of a study Meta conducted called "Project Myst" in which they surveyed 1,000 teens and their parents about their social media use. The two major findings, Lanier said, were that the company knew children who experienced "adverse events" like trauma and stress were particularly vulnerable for addiction; and that parental supervision and controls made little impact...
He also showed internal Google documents that likened YouTube to a casino, and internal communication between Meta employees in which one person said Instagram is "like a drug" and that employees are "basically pushers."
You can read the whole article over here. And here is another one on the same topic from CNN.
So yes, it's not all in your mind. The only advice I can give (and it doesn't work perfectly) is to acquire a laptop (you can buy them quite cheap second-hand, at least where I live), install it in a permanent place (connect the printer and speakers to it so that you don't face temptation to take it everywhere with you) and use it for browsing. Use your phone for phone stuff and may be sending messages/WhatsApp. If it's possible for you, use WiFi at home while on your phone and disconnect it from 4G so that you can't surf the net while outside. You still can use it for emergency situations. I know it's easier said than done though but it might help;)
Well, thank you so very much! I had not seen these lawsuits. Getting a laptop would be a very good option. It's putting I to practice . So embarrassing in some ways to be so bound to this silly thing!!
ReplyDeleteI have cut way back, but the pull is strong. My children got their first phones at 19. They are gen Z. Now that they have them, they're always on them, though.
This is another reason I'm so determined to lead by example.
Thanks Sanneđź•Ż️🧡
I make it a point to get outside and do stuff since I have about three acres to maintain when it rains enough. Last night, I sat outside by a fire for an hour or so emptying a bottle of wine to get away from the screen. I'm also in South Texas, so except when it is really cold it is much easier for me to get outdoors.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! It doesn't really matter which age you are, young and old are getting hooked on these devices;)
ReplyDeleteAnother thing you could do is to find a podcast you like to listen to. This way you aren't just scrolling endlessly and you can do other things as well. And, of course, going outside is good advice, too.
I find that using my laptop for certain things cuts down on phone usage.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting, people who would never consider doing drugs are equally addicted to those devices.
ReplyDeleteBy design....
There is no stigma attached to it plus it's much less dangerous for your health than drugs or alcohol. More like psychological addiction, really. But I have seen statistics linking phone/social media addiction to poor mental health outcomes, especially for girls. And, of course, poor eyesight for the kids. They also say it makes kids more stupid.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh, " it makes kids more stupid. ",
ReplyDeleteYes, seriously, there was some guy who testified before the Congress, I think, who provided data that digital devices shouldn't be used for learning at schools since they can lower IQ or something to the point. In Denmark they are already switching back to pen and paper.
ReplyDelete