What parents need to know about Deepfakes
Edinburgh Police Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council’s Christmas wish is to #KeepXmasSafe for young people whilst online & keep parents & carers more informed.
Deepfakes: What you should know
Tag: social media
Almost half a million explicitly antisemitic tweets per year
The Woolf Institute estimate there to be nearly two antisemitic tweets for every Jewish person in the UK
Analysis of data by the Woolf Institute, a global leader on interfaith relations, is presented in a new report by the Antisemitism Policy Trust and the Community Security Trust, which marks the end of an 18-month research programme to study the extent and nature of antisemitism online.
The report presents an estimate of the level of antisemitism on Twitter in the UK and based on research methods used, Woolf Institute analysis concludes there are between 100 and 1,350 explicitly antisemitic tweets every day in the UK.
The findings estimate that there are up to 495,000 explicitly antisemitic tweets per year made viewable for UK users (tweets in English by and available to UK users). Given the size of the UK’s Jewish population at around 290,000 people, the report calculates there to be nearly two antisemitic tweets annually for every Jewish person in the UK.
The Antisemitism Policy Trust, supported by the Community Security Trust, commissioned the Woolf Institute to explore anti-Jewish hatred on Google, Instagram and Twitter, and this publication represents the third and final instalment of that project.
The two previous reports found that Google’s public facing Safesearch facility has no impact on the amount of antisemitic content that is returned when people search for jokes about Jews.
Antisemitism is also extensive on Instagram, associated with a “chaotic” trolling phenomenon on the platform, and demonstrates strong links to conspiracy theories and anti-Israel attitudes.
Danny Stone MBE, Chief Executive, Antisemitism Policy Trust, says: “Policies to deal with online abuse aren’t worth the paper they’re written on if companies cannot effectively enforce them.
“This new report makes it crystal clear that Twitter’s systems for discovering and acting against anti-Jewish racism still aren’t good enough. As the Government considers new internet safety laws, I hope this report will weigh heavily on Minister’s minds.”
Dr. Dave Rich, Director of Policy, Community Security Trust, says: “It has long been known that social media is the engine of modern antisemitism, and it increasingly features in the antisemitic incidents that are reported to CST.
“This new research not only demonstrates how widespread this is, but also shows exactly how the social media companies are failing to control the problem of anti-Jewish hatred on their platforms.”
Commenting on the overall findings, Dr Julian Hargreaves, Director of Research at the Woolf Institute, who has led the project, said: “Taken together, this series identifies and underlines that antisemitism persists on major social media platforms, and that either the tools for addressing it are not fit-for-purpose, or the public policies professed by the world’s leading social media giants are at best, poorly enforced and at worst, are completely ineffectual.
“Our reports identify that the systems – be they Safesearch, algorithms, or automated moderation are not doing their job. If antisemitism online and within our societies is to be effectively tackled and reduced, we will need platforms, in this instance acting as agents of harm, to better understand and to act upon what the evidence is clearly telling them.”
Using social media data analysis tools, the team were able to identify biographical and geographical characteristics of Twitter users posting tweets which matched the antisemitism research terms.
The top 10 geographical locations were London, Manchester, Redcar, Liverpool, Glasgow, Brighton, north-west Leicestershire, Oxford, Birmingham, and Edinburgh.
The full report on Twitter is available at https://antisemitism.org.uk/research-reports/
The Google and Instagram reports are available at: https://antisemitism.org.uk/research-reports/
For more information on the Woolf Institute visit: https://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk
For information about the Antisemitism Policy Trust visit: https://antisemitism.org.uk
For information about the Community Security Trust visit https://cst.org.uk
Child abuse image crimes in Scotland pass 3,000 in five years
Calls for stronger Online Safety Bill
- Child abuse image offences recorded by Police Scotland up 13% last year and reach over 3,100 in just five years
- ‘Social media being used as a conveyor belt to produce child abuse images on an industrial scale’
- NSPCC sets out five-point plan to strengthen Online Safety Bill so it decisively disrupts the production and spread of child abuse material on social media
More than 3,000 child abuse image crimes were recorded by Police Scotland over the last five years, the NSPCC has revealed today.
Data obtained from Police Scotland shows the number of offences relating to possessing, taking, making, and distributing child abuse material peaked at 660 last year (2020/21) – up 13% from 2019/20.
The NSPCC previously warned the pandemic had created a ‘perfect storm’ for grooming and abuse online.
The charity said social media is being used by groomers as a conveyor belt to produce and share child abuse images on an industrial scale. It added that the issue of young people being groomed into sharing images of their own abuse has become pervasive.
The NSPCC is urging the UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries to seize the opportunity to strengthen the Online Safety Bill, so it results in decisive action that disrupts the production and spread of child abuse material on social media.
The child protection charity said that behind every offence could be multiple victims and images, and children will continue to be at risk of an unprecedented scale of abuse unless the draft legislation is significantly strengthened.
Ahead of a report by Parliamentarians who scrutinised the draft Online Safety Bill expected next week, the NSPCC, which has been at the forefront of campaigning for social media regulation, set out a five-point plan to strengthen the legislation so it effectively prevents online abuse.
The charity’s online safety experts said the Bill currently fails to address how offenders organise across social media, doesn’t effectively tackle abuse in private messaging and fails to hold top managers liable for harm or give children a voice to balance the power of industry.
The NSPCC is critical of the industry response to child abuse material. A Facebook whistle-blower recently revealed Meta apply a return-on-investment principle to combatting child abuse material and don’t know the true scale of the problem as the company “doesn’t track it”.
And research by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has raised concerns about whether some platforms have consistent and effective processes to takedown child abuse images, with some companies pushing back on removing abuse images of children as young as ten.
NSPCC Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless, said: “The staggering amount of child sexual abuse image offences is being fuelled by the ease with which offenders are able to groom children across social media to produce and share images on an industrial scale.
“The UK Government recognises the problem and has created a landmark opportunity with the Online Safety Bill. We admire Nadine Dorries’ declared intent that child protection is her number one objective.
“But our assessment is that the legislation needs strengthening in clear and specific ways if it is to fundamentally address the complex nature of online abuse and prevent children from coming to avoidable harm.”
The NSPCC’s five-point plan lays out where the Online Safety Bill must be strengthened to:
- Disrupt well-established grooming pathways: The Bill fails to tackle convincingly the ways groomers commit abuse across platforms to produce new child abuse images. Offenders exploit the design features of social media sites to contact multiple children before moving them to risky livestreaming or encrypted sites. The Bill needs to be strengthened to require platforms to explicitly risk assess for cross platform harms.
- Tackle how offenders use social media to organise abuse: The Bill fails to address how abusers use social media as a shop window to advertise their sexual interest in children, make contact with other offenders and post digital breadcrumbs as a guide for them to find child abuse content. Recent whistle-blower testimony found Facebook groups were being used to facilitate child abuse and signpost to illegal material hosted on other sites.
- Put a duty on every social media platform to have a named manager responsible for children’s safety: To focus minds on child abuse every platform should be required to appoint a named person liable for preventing child abuse, with the ultimate threat of criminal sanctions for product decisions that put children in harm’s way.
- Give the regulator more effective powers to combat abuse in private messaging: Private messaging is the frontline of child abuse but the regulator needs clearer powers to take action against companies that don’t have a plan to tackle it. Companies should have to risk assess end-to-end encryption plans before they go ahead so the regulator is not left in the dark about abuse taking place in private messaging.
- Give children a funded voice to fight for their interests: Under current proposals for regulation children who have been abused will get less statutory protections than bus passengers or Post Office users. There needs to be provision for a statutory body to represent the interests of children, funded by an industry levy, in the Bill.
The NSPCC is mobilising supporters to sign an open letter to Nadine Dorries asking the UK Culture Secretary to make sure children are at the heart of the Online Safety Bill.
The NSPCC’s full analysis of the draft Online Safety Bill is set out in their ‘Duty to Protect’ report.
SHE Scotland: Embrace It Aw
TOMORROW, Tuesday 26th October, SHE Scotland celebrates its 4th birthday with a very special event.
Embrace It Aw captures thoughts, feelings and research around the rise of social media and reduction in our self esteem.
Come along and Embrace It Aw!
Edinburgh ‘Market Scene’ magazine launches this week
Coming up this Autumn with a splash of local Edinburgh market colour! – a new magazine Market Scene is being launched this week by publisher Tania Pramschufer, director of LocalMotive Markets as a platform for the thriving market scene in and around Edinburgh.
The first edition of the magazine, coming out this week, will showcase the individuality and history of the markets in and around Edinburgh – from the farmers’ markets from Balerno and Portobello markets and everywhere in between.
Market Scene includes producer spotlights – this month meeting Michele and Gabriela from Tipico; Edinburgh Farmers’ market 21st birthday celebrations; local market heritage and a trip up north; as well as a free map with times, dates and locations making it easier for shoppers to buy handmade gifts and artisan products in a lively local market atmosphere.
Features also look at famous bagpiper Lou Marshall and her piping travels, as well as her favourite markets and a catch up with celebrity chef Tony Singh MBE to find out more about his newly opened food enterprise Radge Chaat and a visit to Exclusively Highlands and their amazing markets in woods and castle locations.
Tania Pramschufer, director of LocalMotive Markets said: “With all the troubles of shop retail over the last year, the thriving market scene continues to grow and helps support producers, artists and artisans – so we decided to launch Market Scene to make it easier for visitors and local shoppers find where and when to buy great handcrafted gifts, local artisanal food and drink on their doorstep.
“We have built a strong market following from the artists, producers and local people involved. The markets are a real community tonic for all of us – when people were not able to mix widely – they could buy some lovely things and converse with the producers directly, and anecdotally we know that has made a distinct difference to people coping with isolation and mental health issues and is something we need to consider more – going forward.
“Throughout this year, we are supporting local independent businesses at our markets, and we are very hopeful that our international producers will be able to return in due course and add their wonderful gifts and produce – they are much missed having been attending our Castle Street & Ocean Terminal Christmas Markets for over twelve years, but local producers continue to benefit and develop their businesses at our markets, as well at the many markets across Edinburgh.”
Roddy Smith, Chief Executive, Essential Edinburgh said: “Essential Edinburgh is, as always, supportive of markets and events that drive footfall and create interest in our city centre.
“LocalMotive Markets have delivered, both of these, successfully, on Castle Street over a number of years and are now part of the fabric of the city centre offering. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come”
Producer, Sarah Allen, Slaped Toasties: “The magazine is great, it’s a huge platform to help promote a small business out to a wider public audience.
“Most people are trying to actively support small independent businesses and this magazine is a great way to do this.”
Artisan producer, Jonny Amos, Gecko Gifts: “A magazine like this is long overdue and it is an all-inclusive spotlight on all traders and operators. A positive addition to Edinburgh’s publications.”
The next magazine will be a Christmas edition coming out in November.
Check out Facebook: Market Scene and @marketsceneedinburgh to find out what our team are up to next.
Police and social media: Have your say in online survey
Police Scotland is taking part in a nationwide survey to find out your opinions on how UK police services use social media to communicate & share information with the public.
To take part, visit the link below:
Facebook dominates App Market during lockdown
- With 850 million downloads last year, TikTok is the world’s most popular app
- However, four Facebook-owned social platforms appear among the top six, with a combined figure of more than two billion downloads
- This accounts for almost half of the Top 10’s global download figures
A new study shows that while TikTok has been revealed as the world’s most popular and downloaded mobile app, social media giant Facebook dominates the market with four of its platforms.
Research conducted by app development company Bacancy Technology outlines that social video-sharing platform TikTok was downloaded a total of 850 million times last year, receiving 250 million more downloads than the second most popular app on the list, WhatsApp.
However, having acquired Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, Facebook takes up four spots in the Top 10 most popular apps of 2020, with a combined total of more than two billion downloads. This figure accounts for 46% of the total download figures within the top 10 list.
Following last year’s increase in remote working, conference call platform Zoom – which ranks fifth on the global list – received 477 million downloads last year, coupled with an increase in revenue of 317% over figures from 2019.
Top 10 Global Apps of 2020
| App | Downloads 2020 |
| TikTok | 850 million |
| 600 million | |
| 540 million | |
| 503 million | |
| Zoom | 477 million |
| Messenger | 404 million |
| Snapchat | 281 million |
| Telegram | 256 million |
| Google Meet | 254 million |
| Netflix | 223 million |
Assessing a number of the most popular social platforms, the United States – which has the third largest population count in the world – ranks as the country with the highest active user counts for Tiktok, Instagram and Snapchat.
India, with the second highest population in the world, has the largest amount of users of both WhatsApp and Facebook.
Country with highest users counts for Apps (raw user figures)
| App | Country with highest user count | # of users, in millions | % of population |
| TikTok | United States | 65.9 | 19% |
| India | 390 | 27% | |
| India | 320 | 22% | |
| United States | 140 | 42% | |
| Snapchat | United States | 108 | 32% |
However, analysing an app’s number of users as a percentage of each country’s population reveals that TikTok has the highest penetration in the Netherlands with 22% of its population using TikTok. This is followed by the US (19%) and Norway (18%).
Seven in 10 Spanish citizens are actively using Whatsapp, while three quarters of the population of the Philippines have active profiles on Facebook – a figure that trumps both America (57%) and the UK (55%).
Half of the Turkish population are active on their Instagram accounts – representing the country with the highest usage, and the same can be said of Snapchat’s popularity in Saudi Arabia, with 50% of the population holding active user accounts.
Naturally, these figures do not factor in fake accounts or users that may have more than one social media account, though they show an interesting indication of each app’s global popularity.
Country with highest users counts for Apps (as a percentage of population)
| App | Country with highest user count | # of users, in millions | Population | % of population |
| TikTok | Netherlands | 3.8 | 17,178,419 | 22% |
| US | 65.9 | 333,230,770 | 19% | |
| Norway | 1 | 5,469,887 | 18.20% | |
| Spain | 33 | 46,775,584 | 70% | |
| Italy | 35 | 60,359,657 | 58.00% | |
| Germany | 48 | 84,091,604 | 57% | |
| Philippines | 83 | 111,249,116 | 74% | |
| Thailand | 51 | 70,000,662 | 72% | |
| Mexico | 93 | 130,486,512 | 71% | |
| Turkey | 44 | 85,379,961 | 51% | |
| Brazil | 95 | 214,289,417 | 44% | |
| US | 140 | 333,230,770 | 42% | |
| Snapchat | Saudi Arabia | 19.6 | 35,433,662 | 55% |
| France | 24.5 | 65,439,407 | 37% | |
| United States | 108 | 333,230,770 | 32% |
TikTok triumphs once again as the world’s highest-grossing app, with reported revenue of 540 million USD last year. Despite lockdown restrictions limiting face-to-face contact, online dating platform Tinder lands in second place with 513 million USD, and streaming video giant YouTube rounds off the top three, snatching up 478 million USD.
Highest grossing app of 2020 (Global)
| App | Revenue, millions USD |
| TikTok | 540 |
| Tinder | 513 |
| YouTube | 478 |
| Disney | 314 |
| Tencent Video | 300 |
| Piccoma | 289 |
| Line Manga | 249 |
| iQIYI | 240 |
| Netflix | 209 |
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Bacancy Technology said: “Lockdown restrictions and the ‘stay at home’ mantra of 2020 caused many of us to turn to the internet and various apps for entertainment and to indulge in some level of human interaction.
“TikTok’s seemingly endless library of entertainment has clearly captured the attention of millions of people, while the staple social media apps continue to be an integral part of our daily lives.”
This research was conducted by app development company Bacancy Technology, an exclusive hub of top software developers, UI/UX designers, QA experts and more, offering development services aimed at the creation of high-end, enviable applications.
Record number of recorded grooming crimes in Scotland
Calls for UK Government to bolster online safety legislation
- Offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded by Police Scotland increase by 80% in last five years
- True scale of grooming likely to be higher as Facebook tech failures saw drop in removal of abuse material during pandemic
- UK Government Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden urged to strengthen draft Online Safety Bill to ensure it responds to the rising threat
Crimes of communicating a sexual message to a child have risen by 80 per cent in the last five years to an all-time high, Police Scotland figures obtained by the NSPCC reveal.
Offenders are exploiting risky design features on apps popular with children, the child protection charity has warned.
The NSPCC is calling on the UK Government to respond by ensuring the ambition of the Online Safety Bill matches the scale of the biggest ever online child abuse threat.
The data provided by Police Scotland reveals:
- there were 685 offences of Communicating Indecently with a Child recorded between April 2020 and March 2021
- that’s an increase of 80 per cent from 381 in 2015/16
- there was also an increase of 5 per cent from 2019/20 – making the number of crimes recorded in the last year a record high
- for offences against children under the age of 13, the number of recorded crimes rose by 11 per cent, from 334 to 370, between 2019/20 and 2020/21
A 15-year-old girl told one of our Childline counsellors: “I’ve been chatting with this guy who’s like twice my age. This all started on Instagram but lately our chats have been on WhatsApp.
“He seemed really nice to begin with, but then he started making me do these things to ‘prove my trust to him’, like doing video chats with my chest exposed.”*
The NSPCC believes last year’s figures do not give a full understanding of the impact of the pandemic on children’s safety online.
The charity cites that in the last six months of 2020 Facebook removed less than half of the child abuse content it had previously, due to two technology failures.
The charity says tech firms failed to adequately respond to the increased risk children faced during lockdowns because of historic inaction to design their sites safely for young users.
The NSPCC welcomes the recent flurry of safety announcements from companies such as Instagram, Apple and TikTok, but says tech firms are playing catch up in responding to the threat after years of poorly designed sites.
The charity is calling on the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden to step up the ambition of the UK Government’s Online Safety Bill to ensure proposals comprehensively tackle an online abuse threat that is greater than ever.
The NSPCC says the Draft Online Safety Bill published in May needs to go much further to keep children safe and ensure it creates a practical response that corresponds to the scale and nature of the child abuse problem.
The Bill is due to be scrutinised by a Joint Committee of MPs and Lords from September, which experts say is a crucial opportunity to ensure legislation provides solutions that comprehensively fix the way platforms are exploited by abusers.
The NSPCC wants to see the Bill strengthened to address how abuse rapidly spreads across platforms and ensure it responds effectively to content that facilitates abuse.
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs manager, said: “The failings of tech firms are resulting in record numbers of children being groomed and sexually abused online.
“To respond to the size and complexity of the threat, the UK Government must make child protection a priority in legislation and ensure the Online Safety Bill does everything necessary to prevent online abuse.
“Legislation will only be successful if it achieves robust measures to keep children truly safe now and in the future.”
The NSPCC is also urging Facebook to invest in technology to ensure plans for end-to-end encryption will not prevent the tech firm from identifying and disrupting abuse.
The charity says Facebook should proceed only when it can prove child protection tools will not be compromised and wants tougher measures in the Online Safety Bill to hold named-managers personally liable for design choices that put children at risk.
The NSPCC has been calling for Duty of Care regulation of social media since 2017 and has been at the forefront of campaigning for the Online Safety Bill.
Strictly Influential!
How much can the Strictly Come Dancing professionals earn from social media – and who is making the most?
- Dianne Buswell is the most influential professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, potentially earning £3,355 per sponsored post on Instagram
- Gorka Marquez is the second most influential professional dancer
- Last year’s winner and The Masked Dancer UK judge, Oti Mabuse, is the third most influential professional
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing is right around the corner and new analysis has revealed that Dianne Buswell is the most influential dancer on the show.
Analysis conducted by beauty comparison site, Cosmetify.com, analysed Instagram profiles of the professional dancers and marketing calculators to determine how influential this year’s cast of dancers are on social media.
Dianne Buswell is quickstepping her way to a fortune thanks to her Instagram following of 842,715. The professional dancer can expect to earn an average of £3,355 per sponsored Instagram post.
This would mean that Dianne would need to post only 15 sponsored posts to make the equivalent of her Strictly Come Dancing salary of £50,000. Her relationship with previous Strictly partner, YouTube star Joe Sugg, is certain to be a contributing factor to her influential social media presence.
Gorka Marquez is revealed as the second most influential Strictly dancer, raking in an average £2,598 per sponsored Instagram post. On top of the £50,000 salary and revenue from solo-projects, Marquez’s influence is incredibly lucrative.
Last years winner and The Masked Dancer UK judge, Oti Mabuse can expect to earn an average of £2,340 per post, making her the third most influential dancer on the show. This comes as a result of of her Instagram following of over half a million followers.
Giovanni Pernice has the fourth largest following out of the Strictly professionals with a total of 476,128 followers. This means that Pernice could charge an average of £1,897 per sponsored post, a number that could increase drastically as a result of his new relationship with influencer Maura Higgins who has over three million followers.
Janette Manrara, who left her role as a professional dancer to take over from Zoe Ball as presenter of It Takes Two, can earn £1,756 per sponsored post based on her following of 441,751. Her husband and fellow professional dancer, Aljaž Škorjanec is the fifth most influential professional dancer, earning £1,852 per sponsored post, giving the couple a combined earning of £3,608 every time they both post sponsored content.
Similarly, the longest running professional, now turned judge, Anton Du Beke, has 245,923 followers on Instagram meaning he can expect to earn £978 per post.
Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from Cosmetify said: “Each episode of Strictly Come Dancing is viewed by millions suggesting that the professionals can expect to gain even more followers on social media, which increases opportunities for the dancers outside of the Strictly season.”
The analysis was conducted by Cosmetify, which brings together thousands of brands and hundreds of retailers on one platform to ensure a simple shopping experience and allow the consumer to compare the prices of their favourite products at a glance.
| How much Strictly Come Dancing professionals can earn on Instagram | |||
| Professional | Instagram handle | Follower count | Pay per post |
| Dianne Buswell | diannebuswell | 842,715 | £3,355 |
| Gorka Marquez | gorka_marquez | 652,706 | £2,598 |
| Oti Mabuse | otimabuse | 588,142 | £2,340 |
| Giovanni Pernice | pernicegiovann1 | 476,128 | £1,897 |
| Aljaž Škorjanec | aljazskorjanec | 465,896 | £1,852 |
| Karen Hauer | karenhauer | 270,485 | £1,075 |
| Neil Jones | mr_njonesofficial | 226,051 | £899 |
| Johannes Radebe | johannesradebe | 224,816 | £899 |
| Amy Dowden | amy_dowden | 206,633 | £823 |
| Katya Jones | katyajones | 178,433 | £709 |
| Graziano Di Prima | grazianodiprima | 121,230 | £482 |
| Nadiya Bychkova | nadiyabychkova | 85,366 | £457 |
| Luba Mushtuk | lubamushtuk | 58,877 | £314 |
| Nancy Xu | nancy_xuxi | 21,831 | £178 |
Time for a Digital Detox?
How to Unplug Your Home for the Ultimate Digital Detox
Technology is a wonderful thing. It’s given us Netflix, online shopping, video games, and social media –– but sometimes you need to take a break from the cat memes and give yourself a digital detox (writes TERESA SIQUEIRA).
With infinite knowledge and endless distraction just a click away, it’s more important than ever to create healthy boundaries with technology. So tune in, turn off, and drop out because we’ve got all the info you need to find that sweet spot between staying connected and getting unplugged.
What is a Digital Detox?
A digital detox is when you disconnect from your TV, smartphone, video games, and social media so you can focus on real-life without the distraction of a screen. Don’t worry—a digital detox isn’t forever! Take a mini-detox after work, read a book on your morning commute instead of scrolling through the latest news, or make Sundays a tech-free day –– do whatever works for you! What matters the most is that you create time for your brain to reset.
The Consequences of Always Being Connected
These days, we’re more connected than ever. When it feels impossible to step away from the tweets, and you can’t stop doom-scrolling the news, you know it’s time for a digital detox. Being connected 24/7 might have you staying up late to play video games, feeling like you’re missing out on the experiences all your friends post about, or getting behind at work because the refresh button isn’t going to hit itself. Disconnecting is an integral part of any self-care routine for anyone who wants to optimize their creativity, productivity and have more energy.
The Negative Effects of Technology on Your Brain
You might not realize it, but too much technology harms your brain. From having a lower stress threshold to disrupting your beauty sleep, our screens are silently altering the way our brains work –– and it doesn’t stop there. Here are some of the negative effects technology has on that wrinkly pink thing between our ears.
- Reduces creativity: Technology encourages instant gratification and prevents us from having the patience needed for the more profound thinking skills associated with creativity.
- Negatively affects relationships: More time spent on devices means less time spent with the people you love and makes us feel less satisfaction and connection.
- Impaired social intelligence: Spending too much time in front of a screen interferes with our ability to learn from successes, failures, and the people around us.
- Trouble concentrating: Technology is constantly pulling us in multiple directions at once, making it hard to focus on what’s in front of us. By disconnecting you will also see an increase in your productivity at work.
- Disrupts sleeping habits: The blue light screens emit has been proven to disrupt the circadian rhythms that help us sleep at night.
The Benefits of Doing a Digital Detox
Banish the digital distractions and reap the benefits of a techno-free life. Cutting out technology has massive mental health benefits, and you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you aren’t constantly connected. Benefits of a digital detox include:
- Enhanced sleep: Without blue light and the temptation to keep scrolling, you’ll get better z’s and have more energy in the morning.
- Increased productivity: Less tech means more time to get things done. When you’re not staring at a screen, you’ll have more time to do the things that matter.
- Better posture: “Tech neck” is a real thing, and improved posture is a significant benefit to ditching your devices.
- Improved relationships: Having more time for your loved ones can only be a good thing. Notice how much closer you feel to the people around you after going tech-free.
- More time for hobbies: Going on a digital detox gives you ample time to explore all those hobbies you’d long forgotten.
How to Do a Digital Detox
Give your brain a break! Read up on how to do a digital detox –– we’ve got tips on what to do instead of scrolling, how to get your friends involved, and how to stick to your new detox routine.
Do other activities instead
Harken back to the days of yore and try some tech-free activities. Getting a vacation from technology will offer you a fresh start. Go for a walk, get the family together for a game night, or read a book instead of staring at your phone. Staying active will be a key factor in reducing your screen time. Take up knitting or learn how to bake gourmet desserts.
Establish limits and goals
Each week, make a goal of spending less and less time using technology. Start with a half-hour of tech-free time each day, then increase it to an hour the next week and keep going.
Get your loved ones involved
Get your family involved to make going tech-free into a fun challenge. Check everyone’s smartphone at the end of the week to see who spent the least time looking at their screen –– whoever wins gets to choose their favorite takeout for dinner or pick what to watch on movie night. You can also contact friends and get them involved on the challenge.
Reward yourself
Whenever you’ve accomplished offline time, give yourself an award. Go out for a tech-free date night to your favorite restaurant, or get yourself that thing that’s been on your wishlist for ages. Set up a special ritual for your digital detox, like a spa night.
Types of Digital Detoxes
There are a ton of ways to take a tech break. Pick a couple of methods that work for you and give them a go for at least a week –– feel free to tweak times or alternate days to fit your schedule. Some days you might need to be on your phone or take a video call during a detox period, so roll with the punches and stay flexible.
Disconnect for a period of time
Designate a period of time each day that you’ll go tech-free. During lunch, after work, or before bedtime are all great places to start. Make it part of your routine, then see how you’re feeling after a week. Many people end up expanding their tech-free time because they love how it makes them feel.
Have technology-free meals
Ditching your devices during meals encourages you to not only appreciate the food you’re eating but to enjoy the company you’re in. Unplugging as a family will make meals much more special. Make it a rule that no phones are allowed at the dinner table, turn the TV off, and notice how much fuller your heart and belly feel.
Find a Balance with Technology
Digital burnout is real, and finding a happy medium is integral for living life in the age of the computer. Establishing a healthy relationship with the digital world will help you avoid any risk of suffering from technology addiction. We’ve got a few analog remedies to soothe your digital aches.
Prioritize human connection
We’ve all had that experience where we’re trying to hold a conversation with someone who’s more interested in what’s on their phone than are in the person right in front of them. Always prioritize the people in your life over the content on your phone.
Limit tech time for children
Technology can have a negative impact on children. Give your kids time limits on their digital devices. Use video games as a reward for doing homework and chores. Make sure your kids have a healthy relationship with social media by setting an age limit and making sure they don’t get caught up in comparing their life to the lives of others. To give you further insights, you can find plenty of ways that will guide you on preventing phone addiction for your child.
Find work-life balance
Finding a work/life balance when you work from home is a real struggle. Creating an equilibrium by letting your coworkers know you won’t be available after the workday is done and turn off all your work-related notifications.
Unplugging Your Home
If you find yourself struggling to take a digital detox, try setting up your home to help you succeed. We’ve got some easy-to-implement tips that make disconnecting a cinch.
Use tech to disconnect
Fight technology with technology by turning off your notifications so your digital detox won’t be disturbed by dings and beeps. There are tons of time-limiting apps nowadays that turn off your tech for you or timed cellphone jails that keep your phone locked away for a set amount of time.
Park your devices
Set up a tech station at the front door with a table or drawer with all your chargers. When you walk in the door, plug in your devices so you aren’t tempted to use them. This encourages you and your family to focus on hobbies, books and spending more time with each other.
Go outdoors
Take a walk, go to the lake, or just hang out in your backyard and enjoy the outdoors. Getting outside is one of the best ways to detox from your devices, and it’s an easy activity to get the whole family involved in.
Create a home that helps you disconnect
Set your home up for success. Start by putting up a table in your entryway where you can park your devices, then designate a room where no devices are allowed. Instead of having TVs in the kitchen, living room, and every bedroom, just have one in your entertainment room and call it good.
Create No-tech Zones at Home
Creating no-tech zones is one of the easiest ways to take a digital detox every day. It might sound intimidating to have an area in your home where devices aren’t allowed, but we promise you’ll love the difference it makes in your life.
Create an ‘unplugged’ room
Designate one room in your house that’s free of any digital devices. No TV’s, computers, iPads, or phones allowed. Make it super cozy with couches, pillows, plants, and blankets then bring in anything and everything you love that doesn’t involve a screen. Think books, crossword puzzles, board games, that hobby airplane you’ve been building, or set up a music nook so you can finally learn how to play the guitar.
Leave technology out of your bedroom
Park your phone in the living room overnight to create a quiet bedroom environment. Use an alarm clock instead of relying on your phone to wake you up in the morning and replace your nighttime TV show with a book instead.
Enjoy a techno-free kitchen
Sometimes it’s necessary to open up your phone while you’re cooking to reference a recipe. All the other times, unplug the kitchen and practice mindfulness while making breakfast or enjoying a mid-afternoon snack.
Unplug Your Home While You’re Away
The hidden energy costs of plugged-in appliances could be adding to your electricity bill. Try out these tips to save money while you’re away.
Unplug your devices to improve safety
Keeping all your devices plugged in while you’re away can potentially be a fire hazard. Older electronics, in particular, run the risk of overheating and causing electrical fires, and unplugging them when you go on vacation will not only save you money but give you peace of mind.
Save energy
Save energy by enabling sleep mode on your devices to keep their batteries going for longer. Older appliances are less energy-efficient than newer models, so replace any outdated electronics with modern energy-wise models. You can try to use smart devices that will give you more control and allow you to save energy at home, like smart bulbs or remote thermostats.
Electronics You Should (and Shouldn’t) Unplug
Do: Unplug small kitchen appliances like your coffee maker, microwave, and food processor. If you’re going to be gone for a while, unplug your chargers and entertainment system, too, since they use a lot of energy.
Don’t: Don’t unplug large kitchen appliances like the fridge or dishwasher. Keep powerstrips, carbon monoxide detectors, and the fire alarm plugged in. You can keep your high-efficiency electronics plugged in, since they’re unlikely to zap a ton of energy while not in use.
A daily, weekly, or monthly digital detox helps you stay connected to your physical surroundings, reduces stress and anxiety, and gives you time to enjoy your family, nature, or a hobby. These tips will help you find just the right balance for you.