Remember pre-smartphone cell phones? Know that these objects from the past are coming back into fashion, at least for a select group of people. Young people are abandoning their smartphones and exchanging them for older, less complete models, but also with fewer distractions.

The main argument is that modern devices, which are connected to the internet, leave users constantly on social media and messaging apps, receiving notifications all the time. This can increase anxiety. While some people turn off notifications or delete apps, this group decided to take a more radical path, let's say.

One of the Huck Magazine report spoke to some young people who are ditching their smartphones to try to understand what it means to do so. “I was getting fed up with all the time I was wasting on it, so when it broke I didn’t buy a new phone for about a month. During that time, I noticed a huge improvement in my mood and freedom of thought,” said Eden, 22.

According to the report, the young man began to have difficulty communicating after losing his cell phone, so he decided to buy another one. However, when it came time to choose, he gave up on a more modern model and opted for a Nokia 130, which despite having been released in 2014, does not have smartphone functions. In addition, Eden deleted most of his social networks, leaving only Facebook, which he says he uses on his laptop to read some pages.

Young people are abandoning smartphones

Jade, 23, also opted to downgrade her iPhone XR to a classic Motorola V3. “I’d been thinking about making the switch for years and – embarrassingly – one night I was reading a 2000s manga at 1am and saw all the characters using flip phones and decided to just buy one. I could work out the logistics later,” she said.

This movement has been gaining momentum in recent years. In 2018, sales of conventional cell phones (not smartphones) grew by 5%, the first increase in many years. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the amount of time young people spend in front of screens and may now lead to a greater need to disconnect after spending too much time online.

“As a result of the pandemic, many of us will be spending more time using our online social networks. Our online social networks and smartphones have become a window to the world at a time when our everyday freedoms have been significantly restricted,” says Dr Daria Kuss, Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University.

A study carried out bythe independent research group Hill Holliday, found that young people who are abandoning their smartphones are not alone. Around 48% of the so-called Generation Z, born in the second half of the 90s, consider social networks to be drivers of anxiety, depression and sadness. Another 58% are seeking relief on these digital platforms.

“Initially it was to stop wasting time on social media, but after my phone broke I realised it was affecting my mental state a lot more than I realised,” Eden said. “I save a lot of money too. My phone costs £12 on eBay and I’m on pay as you go.”

Through which channels you reach those people, classic and out of the box. Huck Magazine

Image: trumzz (iStock)