A new British research brings to light an impressive phenomenon: young people aged 16 to 21 express the desire to have grown up without the internet. Thorny is their request for stricter restrictions on social media and the establishment of “digital hours of common quiet”. For many, this attitude may seem ironic, but the account * “The Offline Club” * on Instagram has over 530,000 followers, showing the growing influence of a global phenomenon.

Analogue coexistence in the digital world

THE Offline clubinitiative of three young Dutch, aims to reconnect people with the “real world”; ironically, it does it via instagram. With the slogan *”Change your screen with … real -time” *, he organizes meetings from which mobile and computers are categorically absent. There, young people read, paint, play board games or just enjoy calm moments, without the pressure of digital presence. Longer digital detoxification actions are now being organized in major European cities such as London, Paris and Berlin, beyond Amsterdam where they started.

The ‘Movement of Disconation’ and the concerns of young people

Although there are technical restrictions on smart mobile phones, according to Bitkom data, young people 16–29 years spend on average more than three hours a day on their mobile. Reality may exceed this number as well. At the same time, the desire for less digital time seems to be gaining ground. The so -called “” Movement of Disconation ” * expresses the turn of a generation that has been exhausted by hyperlink and now seeks authenticity and essence in its interpersonal relationships.

According to his research Standard In 1,293 young people, 70% feel very bad after using social media, while 46% said they would prefer an adult in an internet world. 50% supports the digital prohibition prospect after 22:00.

Mental health in the spotlight

Excessive use of mobile is directly related to mental disorders such as depressionanxiety and sleep disorders. Recent scientific study, published in *BMC Medicine *, showed that one Reduce the use of mobile for three weeks It can reduce depressive symptoms by 27%. At the same time, the OECD warns that young people’s mental health has been steadily deteriorating over the last 15 years, with the pandemic accelerating this trend.

Institutional Initiatives for Digital Time

International discussion is now transferred to parliament. In Britain, Technology Minister Peter Kyle is considering compulsory * “digital ban” * for young people after 22:00, while Australia is pioneering banning the use of social media in children under 16 years from 2024. Similar discussion opens in both Greece and Germany.

Significant was the response to a recent offline club event in London, where more than 1,000 participants closed their mobile phones, rewarding the experience without screens. It is worth noting that the photos were finally uploaded … on Instagram.

Edited by: Josephina Tsagalidou