Digital Detox Diary: How one journalist survived 48
hours without access to technology...
by Daniel
Often most families would sit down on a Saturday evening, play a board game and socialise with each other; but that was 50 years ago.
These days the world is dominated by phones, computers and gaming consoles. Talking to your family seems like hard work so most children try and rush it, to go on their phones and talk to their friends.
To try and combat this, Trinity School held a weekend Digital Detox to encourage students to alter and reduce their use of technology. The initiative was partly inspired by the Breck Foundation – named after a young Surrey boy who was groomed online. I along with many other Trinity students took part in this event and it was harder than I expected...
These days the world is dominated by phones, computers and gaming consoles. Talking to your family seems like hard work so most children try and rush it, to go on their phones and talk to their friends.
To try and combat this, Trinity School held a weekend Digital Detox to encourage students to alter and reduce their use of technology. The initiative was partly inspired by the Breck Foundation – named after a young Surrey boy who was groomed online. I along with many other Trinity students took part in this event and it was harder than I expected...
In the 21st Century, playing games no longer means sitting down as a family and playing a board game, it means playing on a games console. Martin Cooper’s invention of the mobile phone has also taken the world by storm. It no longer takes days to send a letter to someone, you can send them a text and it will reach the person instantly.
Social media has also changed the world, with the first ever site created in 1997. The social media world has now evolved, with sites like Facebook having an incredible 1.86 billion users and still growing. But is social media social?
Many people see these sites as “Unsocial media” because people sit by their phones and talk, play games or even do homework with friends over the internet, rather than talking face to face. A recent study has shown that the average person spends more time on technology than they do sleeping!
Social media has also changed the world, with the first ever site created in 1997. The social media world has now evolved, with sites like Facebook having an incredible 1.86 billion users and still growing. But is social media social?
Many people see these sites as “Unsocial media” because people sit by their phones and talk, play games or even do homework with friends over the internet, rather than talking face to face. A recent study has shown that the average person spends more time on technology than they do sleeping!
There are approximately 7.19 billion active mobile phone users - and in Britain alone, 90 per cent of 8-14 year olds own a mobile phone...
Phones and technology are used around the world with approximately 7.19 billion active mobile phone users and in Britain alone 90 per cent of 8-14 year olds own a mobile phone. Even the youngest children in Britain are surrounded by technology with 52 per cent of children under 10 owning a mobile phone – the average age to get your first mobile is just 10 years old!
Social media can also be a very dangerous place as there are many people looking to exploit young children, which can often scar the child for life.
Social media can also be a very dangerous place as there are many people looking to exploit young children, which can often scar the child for life.
Taking part in the Digital Detox was really interesting because it made you think how much you really use technology. It’s like when you break a bone and you realise how much you use that bone.
I found the Digital Detox quite hard because I had no contact with my friends for a whole weekend! My phone would buzz and it would be one of my friends wanting to talk to me but I had to ignore it. Instead of playing on a gaming console I read a book, which was quite hard especially as I knew my friends would be playing online without me.
As a football fan I also wanted to check the scores, but because of the Digital Detox I had to check them in the newspaper rather than on the BBC Sport website. Ordinarily on a Saturday evening I would watch TV after doing my homework but instead I played a board game with my family. This was unusual for us all, but it actually allowed me to talk to my family and ask them about their week, which was better than sitting on my own watching TV!
I found the Digital Detox quite hard because I had no contact with my friends for a whole weekend! My phone would buzz and it would be one of my friends wanting to talk to me but I had to ignore it. Instead of playing on a gaming console I read a book, which was quite hard especially as I knew my friends would be playing online without me.
As a football fan I also wanted to check the scores, but because of the Digital Detox I had to check them in the newspaper rather than on the BBC Sport website. Ordinarily on a Saturday evening I would watch TV after doing my homework but instead I played a board game with my family. This was unusual for us all, but it actually allowed me to talk to my family and ask them about their week, which was better than sitting on my own watching TV!
By the end of the weekend I actually felt a little less tired than normal. This may have been a result of less screen time but I also felt a sense of accomplishment. Teenagers around the world are constantly staring at screens (just as my sister did all weekend!) and it made me realise I could survive without technology.
Now I'd challenge you to try and do a Digital Detox, even if only for a day. If you need a phone or computer for work or homework you can still give up using them for recreational purposes and enjoy something you never thought you'd have the time to do.
Now I'd challenge you to try and do a Digital Detox, even if only for a day. If you need a phone or computer for work or homework you can still give up using them for recreational purposes and enjoy something you never thought you'd have the time to do.