People say they've broken their phone addiction with one simple change to their settings
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/break-phone-addiction-with-grayscale-hack
#SmartphoneAddiction
Echoes of #Plato: #NeoLuddism — reclaiming the human in the digital age
Making room for humanity in the march of technology
“The machines were their enemies, for the machines were the means by which greedy masters enforced their will.” — – E.P. Thompson, The Making of the English Working Class (1963)
by Kem-Laurin Lubin, Jan 4, 2025
"Modern neo-Luddism draws inspiration from this historical movement, but rather than opposing all forms of #technology, it critiques the #uncritical adoption of digital tools and automation. Neo-Luddites are not anti-technology per se; instead, they advocate for a more #mindful and selective use of technology, prioritizing human #WellBeing, #EnvironmentalSustainability, and meaningful #SocialInteractions.
"In today’s context, neo-Luddism is less about destroying machines and more about reclaiming control over how technology shapes daily life. It questions the pervasive influence of #smartphones, #SocialMedia, and constant #connectivity, encouraging moments of #disconnection to foster deeper, more authentic human experiences.
"This philosophy underpins the growing trend of 'no-tech meetups,' where individuals come together to temporarily step away from digital distractions and reconnect in more organic, face-to-face ways [Like listening to vinyl records with a friend!]. Neo-Luddites advocate for a conscious retreat from digital dependence, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face communication and preserving human connection without the interference of screens. These gatherings, often called '#LudditeClubs' or 'analog meetups,' create spaces where participants can engage in conversations, activities, and communal experiences free from the distractions of smartphones, social media, and other digital tools.
"The motivations behind this movement are diverse. Some individuals express concerns over privacy and the pervasive #surveillance associated with digital platforms. Some lament the growing loss of #jobs and community. Others seek to combat the social isolation and mental health challenges exacerbated by excessive screen time. #Environmental considerations also play a role, with participants mindful of the ecological impact of #ElectronicWaste and the resource demands of constant technological upgrades."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/6tQNO
#Philosophy #RightToRepair #EWaste #PlannedObsolescence #LudditeClub #NeoLuddite #UseYourBrain #DigitalAge #ReadABook #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth #DatacentersUseTooMuchElectricity
One of #NJ’s largest school districts bans #cellphones in class
By Rob Jennings, Sept 19, 2025
"Students in New Jersey’s second-largest city will be required to put their cellphones away while in class starting Oct. 1.
"The Jersey City school board voted unanimously Thursday night to approve a new policy prohibiting cellphones and other personal communications devices in classrooms. There will be limited exceptions for students with disabilities and health issues."
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/lpEmt
#UseYourBrain #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth
More students head back to class without one crucial thing: their phones
Sequoia Carrillo, September 1, 2025
Excerpt: "In Texas, every public and charter school student will be without their phones during the school day this fall. Brigette Whaley, an associate professor of education at West Texas A&M University, expects to see "a more equitable environment" in classrooms with higher student engagement.
"Last year, she tracked the success of a cell phone ban in one west Texas high school by surveying teachers throughout the year. They reported more participation by students, and also said they saw student anxiety plummet – mainly because students weren't afraid of being filmed at any moment and embarrassing themselves.
" 'They could relax in the classroom and participate,' she said. 'And not be so anxious about what other students were doing.'
"The findings in west Texas align with results from many of the states and districts that are heading back to school without phones: Students learn better in a #PhoneFree environment. Getting cell phones out of the classroom is a rare issue with significant bipartisan support, allowing a rapid adoption of policies across red and blue states alike.
"Some 31 states and the District of Columbia now restrict students' use of #CellPhones in schools, according to Education Week."
Read more / listen:
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/01/nx-s1-5495531/more-states-now-ban-cell-phones-in-schools
#TechAddiction #SmartPhoneAddiction #ReadABook #TalkToAFriend #TakeNotes #Handwriting #PayAttention #LessDistractions #LessScreenTime
Why teens are ditching their smartphones — and how to live without one
Maybe your teen will ditch their smartphone, too. Here’s how they can do it
By Natalie Issa
Published: Aug 10, 2023
Excerpt: "A recent study published by APA PsycNet found that limited smartphone use has its benefits.
"For this study, German researches monitored two groups: one group that stopped using smartphones altogether and a second group that reduced smartphone use by one hour everyday. Both groups were monitored over one week.
"While both groups saw an increase in life satisfaction and physical activity, the group that only limited phone use by one hour saw stronger and more sustainable effects over four months. Additionally, this group saw a decrease in the number of cigarettes they smoked everyday.
"The study concluded that 'conscious and controlled changes of daily time spent on smartphone use can contribute to subjective well-being (less depressive and anxiety symptoms, less problematic use tendencies, more life satisfaction) and to a healthier lifestyle (more physical activity, less smoking behavior) in the longer term.' "
Read more:
https://www.deseret.com/23583331/teens-smartphones/
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/nyDOL
#LudditeClub #NeoLuddite #UseYourBrain #ReadABook #SmartphoneAddiction #TechAddiction #MentalHealth #BrainHealth
Is Europe chronically online? These are the countries that spend most time on the internet.
Millions of people spend most of their time online, new global data suggests.
A recent study highlights 10 European countries where people are almost “constantly” online.
#Europe #Online #Internet #ScreenAddiction #SmartphoneAddiction #Spain #UK #France #Sweden #Italy #EU
More students head back to class without one crucial thing: their phones
September 1, 2025
"Some 31 states and the District of Columbia now restrict students' use of cell phones in schools, according to Education Week."
Read more:
https://www.npr.org/2025/09/01/nx-s1-5495531/more-states-now-ban-cell-phones-in-schools
#MoreQualityTimeLessScreenTime #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime #LessScreenTime #BeingPresent #SmartphoneAddiction #SolarPunkSunday
Speaking of #LightPollution...
#ScreenTime Before #Bed Is Ruining Your Child’s #Sleep (Here’s What Parents Need to Know)
by Don on February 26, 2025
"Establishing a Screen-Free Bedtime Routine
"Creating a peaceful bedtime routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by setting a consistent bedtime and work backward about 30-45 minutes to begin your routine. Replace screen activities with calming alternatives that help signal to your child’s body that it’s time to wind down.
"Begin by dimming the lights throughout the house to support natural #melatonin production. Choose quiet activities like reading stories together, listening to #GentleMusic, or practicing simple #BreathingExercises. Many families find success with a warm #bath or shower, followed by putting on comfortable pajamas and brushing teeth.
"Consider incorporating #mindful activities like #GentleStretching, #coloring, or #QuietPlay with #NonElectronicToys. Some children benefit from a brief #CuddleTime or sharing their favorite moments from the day. Keep a consistent order of activities to help your child feel secure and know what to expect.
"Remember that transition times can be challenging. Give clear, gentle reminders about upcoming routine steps, and offer praise when your child follows along. If your child seems resistant, try making it fun by turning routine tasks into simple games or using visual schedules for younger children.
"Store all devices in another room to avoid temptation, and make the bedroom a #ScreenFreeZone. This helps create a sleep-friendly environment and reinforces healthy boundaries around technology use."
#Parenting #LessScreenTime #ReadABook #Storytime #Bedtime #ChildhoodDevelopment #SmartPhoneAddiction #SleepDisruption
Why can’t we stop scrolling?
From dopamine loops to algorithmic traps, smartphones are rewiring our brains & reshaping society.
Read my deep-dive: Why Are We Glued to Smart Devices?
👉 https://medium.com/@mohameddosou/why-are-we-glued-to-smart-devices-11d046973df6
#SmartphoneAddiction #AttentionEconomy #FOMO #Dopamine #MentalHealth #DigitalWellness
#WikiHow - How to Beat an Addiction to Cell Phones: Tips to Get Off Your Phone
What to do if you think you have a phone addiction
Co-authored by Tiffany Douglass, MA and Aly Rusciano
Last Updated: March 19, 2025
"How do you stop being addicted to your phone?
- Schedule when and how long you can use your phone.
- Turn off notifications for apps and social media.
- Put your phone somewhere you can’t access it.
- Replace phone habits with new hobbies or constructive activities.
- Ask your loved ones for support to keep you accountable."
Learn more:
https://www.wikihow.com/Beat-an-Addiction-to-Cell-Phones
#SolarPunkSunday #TechAddiction #SmartPhoneAddiction #LessScreenTime #SpendTimeInNature #BoardGames #TheLudditeClub #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime
Should we add "#SkinJobs" and "#Toasters" and "#GoRustYourself" to this list?
How ‘#Clanker’ Became the Internet’s New Favorite Slur
New derogatory phrases are popping up online, thanks to a cultural pushback against #AI
by CT Jones, August 6, 2025
"Clanker. #Wireback. #Cogsucker. People are feeling the inescapable inevitability of AI developments, the encroaching of the digital into everything from entertainment to work. And their answer? Slurs.
"AI is everywhere — on Google summarizing search results and siphoning web traffic from digital publishers, on social media platforms like Instagram, X, and Facebook, adding misleading context to viral posts, or even powering #NaziChatbots. #GenerativeAI and #LargeLanguageModels — AI trained on huge datasets — are being used as therapists, consulted for medical advice, fueling spiritual psychosis, directing self-driving cars, and churning out everything from college essays to cover letters to breakup messages.
"Alongside this deluge is a growing sense of discontent from people fearful of artificial intelligence stealing their jobs, and worried what effect it may have on future generations — losing important skills like media #literacy, #ProblemSolving, and #CognitiveFunction. This is the world where the popularity of AI and robot slurs has skyrocketed, being thrown at everything from ChatGPT servers to delivery drones to automated customer service representatives. Rolling Stone spoke with two language experts who say the rise in robot and AI slurs does come from a kind of cultural pushback against AI development, but what’s most interesting about the trend is that it uses one of the only tools AI can’t create: slang
" '#Slang is moving so fast now that an #LLM trained on everything that happened before it is not going to have immediate access to how people are using a particular word now,' says Nicole Holliday, associate professor of linguistics at UC Berkeley. 'Humans [on] #UrbanDictionary are always going to win.' "
Archived version:
https://archive.ph/ku2Uw
#BattlestarGalactica #AIResistance #AISucks #NoNukesForAI #NeoLuddites #ResistAI #LudditeClub #SmartPhoneAddiction #AreYouAlive #AreYouHuman
Some great ideas here!
9 Easy Nature Based Learning Techniques That Inspire Students
"The benefits of nature based learning include improved #SensoryAwareness, #observation skills, #CriticalThinking, #StressManagement, risk assessment, empathy & emotional intelligence, and many other valuable life success skills."
Learn more:
https://nature-mentor.com/nature-based-learning/
#SolarPunkSunday #NatureBasedLearning #TechAddiction #SmartphoneAddiction #TeachingWithNature #NatureImmersion #MoreGreen #CitizenScience #Nature #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime
From 2021: Guide to the Growing World of #NatureBasedLearning
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach of us more than we can ever learn from books.”
John Lubbock
Excerpt: "Inspired by the Scandinavian embrace of #OutdoorLearning, the #ForestSchool movement migrated to the UK in the 1990s and has grown strongly ever since. In the US, the first nature-based preschool, the #NewCanaanNatureCenter, opened in 1967 in #Connecticut. The pace of nature-based preschools was gradual until, many say, after the publication of #RichardLouv’s #LastChildInTheWoods in 2005. Soon after, the growth of these schools went wild, experiencing a 25-fold increase over the past decade.
"Around the world, the forest school movement has also been growing strong. Whether you find forest schools in the UK, #BushKindys in #Australia, #waldkindergarten in #Germany or #MoriNoIe in #Japan, forest schools can be found in dozens of countries as parents and caretakers seek out the benefits of nature for their children, particularly for the early childhood years."
https://www.childhoodbynature.com/guide-to-the-growing-world-of-nature-based-learning/
#SolarPunkSunday #Nature #Stewardship #NaturalWorld #LearningThrougNature #TechAddiction #SmartPhoneAddiction #GreenTime #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime
This generation really does waste so much time on their smartphones! 🙄
Ann, my 88yr old next door neighbour, texting on her phone again when we were trying to watch the telly! 😂 #SmartphoneAddiction
स्मार्टफोन की लत: कैसे बन गया यह आधुनिक परजीवी, लगातार खा रहा आपका दिमाग, सेहत और समय
India News: स्मार्टफोन की लत आज एक परजीवी की तरह हमारी जिंदगी को प्रभावित कर रही है। यह डिवाइस समय, ध्यान और निजी जानकारी चुपके से ले रही है। पहले यह मददगार था, लेकिन अब यह मानसिक तनाव और रिश्तों में दूरी का कारण बन रहा है। टेक कंपनियां और विज्ञापनदाता इसका सबसे ज्यादा फायदा उठा रहे हैं।
स्मार्टफोन: परजीवी की तरह क्यों?
जैविक परजीवी अपने मेजबान से संसाधन लेता है और नुकसान पहुंचाता है। स्मार्टफोन भी ऐसा ही करता है। यह हमारा समय और ध्यान चुराता है। ऐप्स हमें स्क्रॉल करने और विज्ञापनों पर क्लिक करने के लिए मजबूर करते हैं। यह रिश्ता अब सहजीविता नहीं, बल्कि परजीविता बन गया है। स्मार्टफोन की लत मानसिक स्वास्थ्य को प्रभावित करती है।
डिजिटल शोषण का तरीका
स्मार्टफोन की लत को बढ़ाने के लिए ऐप्स खास डिजाइन के साथ बनाए जाते हैं। द हिंदू के अनुसार, ये ऐप्स डोपामाइन लूप बनाकर हमें बांधे रखते हैं। हर स्वाइप और क्लिक से डेटा एकत्र होता है। यह डेटा टेक कंपनियां विज्ञापन के लिए इस्तेमाल करती हैं। फिटनेस या सोशल कनेक्शन का वादा सिर्फ हमें फंसाने का तरीका है।
मानसिक स्वास्थ्य पर प्रभाव
स्मार्टफोन की लत नींद, उत्पादकता और रिश्तों को नुकसान पहुंचा रही है। रिसर्च बताती है कि ज्यादा स्क्रीन टाइम तनाव और चिंता बढ़ाता है। बच्चे और युवा सबसे ज्यादा प्रभावित हैं। स्मार्टफोन का अत्यधिक उपयोग डिप्रेशन का कारण बन सकता है। यह डिवाइस अब हमारी जरूरतों से ज्यादा टेक कंपनियों के हित में काम करता है।
क्या है समाधान?
स्मार्टफोन की लत से बचने के लिए जागरूकता जरूरी है। हमें यह समझना होगा कि यह डिवाइस कब हमें नियंत्रित कर रहा है। डिजिटल डिटॉक्स, स्क्रीन टाइम सीमित करना और ऑफलाइन गतिविधियों में समय बिताना मदद कर सकता है। लेकिन स्मार्टफोन आज बैंकिंग और मैप्स जैसी जरूरी सेवाओं का हिस्सा है, जिससे पूरी तरह दूरी बनाना मुश्किल है।
डिजिटल डिटॉक्स की चुनौतियां
स्मार्टफोन से दूरी बनाना आसान नहीं है। यह हमारी रोजमर्रा की जिंदगी में गहराई से शामिल है। सरकारी सेवाएं, ऑनलाइन पेमेंट और संचार के लिए स्मार्टफोन जरूरी हो गया है। टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया के अनुसार, डिजिटल डिटॉक्स के लिए समय प्रबंधन और आत्म-अनुशासन जरूरी है। हमें स्मार्टफोन का उपयोग सीमित करना सीखना होगा ताकि यह परजीवी न बने।
"It’s really important for a kid to be left alone"- When #TaikaWaititi made his feelings clear about the role of tech in children's lives
By Sourav Chakraborty
Modified May 03, 2025 04:54 GMT
" 'Exactly, now they’ve all got iPads and it’s done for them! I think it’s really important for a kid to be left alone and left to figure it out for themselves how to pass the time. As a kid, I spent so much time bored and coming up with ideas of how to do things, so I’d write stories or I’d draw pictures or invent worlds through drawing or just in my head, just thinking about things. I think that a lot of my creativity has really come from being bored.' " [SO TRUE!!!]
#SmartphoneAddiction #TechIsDumbingUsDown #NoAI #Imagination #LudditeClub #NeoLuddites #Luddites #LessScreenTime #MoreBoardGames #MoreGreenTime #MoreOutdoorTime #FlipPhones #MoreBooks #Smartphones #TechAddiction #TurnOffYourPhone #BePresent #ThinkForYourself #ResistTheMachine #NoSmartphonesForKids #MoreGreenTimeLessScreenTime
👨💻🤦♂️ Ah yes, because obviously the solution to avoiding endless #doomscrolling is to go full #techno-wizard and turn your #ESP32 into a DNS sinkhole. 💡 Clearly, it's easier than just putting down your phone or, you know, developing some #self-control. 🚫📱
https://amanvir.com/blog/turning-my-esp32-into-a-dns-sinkhole #DNSsinkhole #smartphoneaddiction #HackerNews #ngated
New Episode: hpr4322 :: Fighting smartphone addiction
A time limit tool I'm trying out and how I'm using it
Hosted by Celeste on Tuesday, 2025-02-25 is flagged as Clean and is released under a CC-BY-NC-SA license.
Tags: #SmartphoneAddiction, time limit, #f-droid.
Today on the #HackerPublicRadio #Community #Podcast
As a child, I was a terrible sleeper. My parents would often find me awake at 3 AM with a flashlight under the covers reading a Hardy Boy, Nancy Drew, or Tom Swift book. When I was 9-years-old, my pediatrician prescribed an awful tasting medicine to be taken at night, mixed with pineapple juice to mask the flavor. Years later, I found out that the medicine was actually a heavy duty narcotic, sometimes called a “Mickey Finn.” Needless to say, I was just never a good sleeper. In my adult years, I often explained away my sleeping habits by swearing that 4-5 hours of sleep a night was all I needed.
My colleagues and I at California State University, Dominguez Hills, conducted sleep research that stems from my lab’s work on the “psychology of technology,” where we have discovered two important variables that encourage us to use (and misuse) technology, thereby losing sleep: (1) poor executive functioning, which includes our (in)ability to pay attention, problem solve, control our impulses, and make decisions, and (2) anxiety. In our work, anxiety is sometimes referred to as FOMO, or the fear of missing out. We see this anxiety in the majority of smartphone users who feel uncomfortable if they are not in direct contact with their phones — and their many electronic connections — 24/7/365. A dead battery and no charger can bring upon a panic attack.
In our study of more than 700 college students, we found that while poor executive functioning did predict sleep problems, the stronger effect was actually due to anxiety. The students who were more anxious about being apart from their phones used their phones more during a typical day, and woke up to check their phones more often at night. The latter two results — more daily smartphone use and more nighttime awakenings — led directly to sleep problems.
Why does anxiety about needing to stay in contact negatively impact sleep? First, those who are anxious about staying connected are more likely to use their technology right up until bedtime. We now know that the blue wavelength light from LED-based devices (phones, tablets, computers) increases the release of cortisol in the brain, which makes us more alert, and inhibits the production of melatonin, which is needed to fall asleep. That’s why The National Sleep Foundation recommends turning off all devices an hour prior to bedtime. The Mayo Clinic says that if you do choose to use technology during the hour before bedtime, keep it 14 inches from your face and dim the brightness, which helps reduce the blue light and increases the natural melatonin release. A study by researchers at Harvard Medical School found that compared to reading a paper book, people who read from an e-book needed an additional 10 minutes to fall asleep. They experienced 90 minutes of delayed melatonin onset — and had half the amount of melatonin released. They also had diminished rapid eye movement sleep. To compound these effects, anxious people have more cortisol in their system, which further stymies sleep. Anxious people also tend to have shorter attention spans — our own research has shown that they switch tasks every 3-5 minutes. This frenetic task switching increases stress — and cortisol — creating a vicious cycle. Finally, anxious people are more likely to sleep with their phone close by and check it when they awaken at night, which then further disrupts sleep.
Consider how vitally important sleep is to our health. In the 1950s and 1960s, William Dement and Nathaniel Kleitman illuminated the process of sleep. Basically, for normally well-rested people, sleep happens in a series of 90-minute bursts, each ending with a dream. Leading up to the dream are four critical phases responsible for synaptic rejuvenation, or the process of pruning away unneeded mental connections and consolidating or reinforcing needed ones. In addition, various molecular byproducts of thinking are left in the brain throughout the day, which are then washed away during normal sleep. Included among these are beta amyloids, which have been found in abundance in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. (For more on the relationship between sleep and Alzheimer’s disease, see this brief.) When you are not well rested, these phases — and the brain’s housekeeping chores — are disrupted. Further, if you awaken someone every time they start dreaming, they will soon skip the four phases and go straight into REM dream sleep, reducing synaptic rejuvenation.
The National Sleep Foundation has shown that we are in the midst of a 50-year decline in sleep duration, and one study found that 90% of Americans use their gadgets within the last hour before bedtime at least a few nights a week. They also found that the average college student loses 46 minutes of sleep each night due to answering phone calls or checking for messages. Add it all up, and we are all running the risk of a massive sleep debt that is not going to allow our sleeping brain to do its job. Sleep deprivation is leading to less efficient learning, higher emotionality, increased anxiety, and a less efficient brain.
So how do you reduce your nighttime anxiety and permit your brain to sleep effectively? Here are some suggestions:
During the day, practice not reacting to incoming alerts or notifications like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Don’t check your phone every time it beeps. In fact, turn off notifications and check on a schedule to retrain your brain’s neurotransmitters (particularly cortisol). Start by checking every 15 minutes, and gradually increase that to 30 minutes or more. Tell your family, friends, and colleagues that you may not respond immediately, but you will within a specified amount of time, such as 30 minutes to an hour later.
Stop using all devices one hour prior to sleep.
Put all devices away in another room rather than keep them in the bedroom to discourage you from checking them during the night. (If you must keep a phone nearby in case of emergency, set it so that it only rings when certain people are calling, but still place it across the room and away from your bedside.)
An hour before bedtime, start dimming the room lights slowly to release melatonin.
During the last hour before bedtime, choose an activity that your brain will find predictable and, thus, not anxiety-provoking. Consider any of the following:
Watch a television show that you love, maybe even a repeat.
Read a paper book (or use a Kindle which doesn’t emit blue light) by a familiar author.
Listen to music that is very familiar like a playlist of your favorite songs. If you need a device to do this, burn CDs and get a CD player. (The key is to use a device that doesn’t have internet access, email, or a phone.) Keep the volume low.
If you awaken in the middle of the night, try this trick: have a song lyric in mind (not the whole song) that you plan to sing in your mind over and over to block the anxiety and allow you to fall back to sleep. Another option is to learn one of many meditation techniques and practice and use those skills to calm your mind.
Our devices are a gift that connect us to so many people and so much information, but they do not have to raise our anxiety and harm our all-important sleep. We need to control our devices, rather than letting them control us.
### Hashtags:
#SleepHealth #DigitalAnxiety #FOMO #SmartphoneAddiction #SleepTips #TechPsychology #Melatonin #Cortisol #SleepDeprivation #HealthyHabits #ScreenTime #MentalHealth #REM #SleepResearch #SleepHygiene #NighttimeAnxiety #TechAndSleep #BrainHealth #sleepbetter
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