These Social Media Influencers Want You Off Social Media

It's simple to accidentally become entranced by an endless loop of videos on Instagram or TikTok. Sometimes, though, that extended scroll is interrupted by a reminder that what you thought was a 10-minute break spent on your phone was closer to 30 minutes. Olivia Yokubonis, a content creator known as "Olivia Unplugged," makes videos to combat overuse or mindless use of social media, responding to the feeling many people have that they spend too much time on social media or apps. She's part of a growing group of content creators who make videos encouraging viewers to close out the apps they're on, per the AP.

Yokubonis works for Opal, a screen time app designed to help users "reclaim their focus," she says. Brand logos, constant plugs to download the app, and other signs of branding are almost entirely absent from her page. "People love hearing from people," she says. "Most people have no clue how much time they spend on social media," says Ofir Turel, a University of Melbourne instructor who has been studying social media use for years. Turel found that when he presented people with their screen time information, they were practically "in a state of shock," and many people voluntarily reduced their usage afterward.

Ian A. Anderson, a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, said he finds this kind of content interesting, but he's curious whether it's disruptive enough to prompt action. He also said he wonders whether those with the strongest scrolling habits are "thoughtless about the way [they're] intaking information." "If they're paying full attention, I feel like it could be an effective disruption, but I also think there is a degree to which, if you are really a habitual scroller, maybe you aren't fully engaging with it," he noted.

For those looking to curb their social media habits, Anderson suggests making small, meaningful changes to stop from opening your social media app of choice. Moving the app's place on your phone or turning off notifications are "light-touch interventions," but more involved options, like not bringing your phone into the bedroom—or other places where you often use it—could also help. Content creators who infiltrate social media feeds with information about the psychology behind why people scroll for hours a day can plant those early seeds. More here.