The term “digital addict” is used to refer to a person who spends an enormous amount of time online to the point where it interferes with their day-to-day life.
It’s a strange feeling for me writing this article because I am someone who has grown up in the digital age, and rely on it every single day. Do I think I have a digital addiction?
No.
But I do need to become more aware of where my time is being spent.
This isn’t a piece of content I thought I would write. Here is how I got to this point.
Have you heard of the social networking app called Vero? I have been on Vero for a number of months now, and I am happy to see it get the recognition it deserves, especially over the last six weeks.
When I clicked on the Vero app this morning, the below popped up.
When I see “what’s new” on social media, I tend to ignore it unless it’s about an app or feature I use on a regular basis e.g. Instagram’s new shopping tag feature.
I sat for about 10 minutes staring at the above visual on my phone with my face in my hands thinking about digital addiction.
When I clicked “read more” on Vero’s latest update, I got the following sceen.
One phrase stood out to me; we want Vero to enhance your life, not detract from it.
I immediately enabled this feature. Whilst yes, they are generating data around this kind of feature, it’s data that I personally want to digest.
In the social world, we are always given “optimum times” when people are most likely to engage on social, but I’ve never looked at it from the angle of how much time I am personally spending on social.
To me, I’m not just another statistic; I want to be aware of whether I have a healthy balance.
If we are being prompted by a social network to measure the time we are spending on said network, does this mean we are dangerously close to overconsumption?
In my opinion, we are in the era of digital addiction. Children are spending more time on a digital device than they are reading a book and rather than putting our phones down whilst with family, we continuously sit in silence whilst claiming “quality time”.
I am going to set myself a task. Over the easter weekend, my phone will only be used when necessary. I will not touch my laptop unless for work purposes, and I am going to enjoy the company of those around me.
Do you think we are in the era of digital addiction and if so, what actions do you think need to be taken to avoid digital consuming every part of our lives?