All articles tagged with #digital wellbeing
Apple used its WWDC spotlight to push Screen Time, but the updates largely repackage existing features with a cosmetic redesign, failing to fix long-standing reliability issues or bypass loopholes. The piece argues the changes are not truly new, calls for more granular, standalone controls, and stresses that real protection for kids requires stronger safeguards beyond the current Time Allowances and 'Ask to Browse' capabilities.
Sitting all day harms the body by limiting muscle stimulation, constricting the diaphragm, and dulling interoceptive signals. The interview with Manoush Zomorodi promotes five-minute movement breaks every 30 minutes (or hourly) for two weeks, showing up to a 28% drop in fatigue, improved attention and mood, and a 4% gain in productivity. Breaks can be anything from walking to simple arm movements or even imagining a dog walk; if walking isn’t possible, you can still move. Over time, people’s internal urge to move returns, reducing reliance on timers. The advice complements regular exercise and helps restore the body’s signals for movement in a tech-saturated world.
Screen time isn’t inherently harmful; its impact depends on intentional use. The piece suggests replacing doomscrolling with active play, word puzzles, meaningful online connection, and creation, plus learning via well-designed apps. It cites research showing gaming can boost problem-solving and mood when motivated rather than compulsive, and that digital learning can be effective when gamified and tailored. The core advice: check your reasons for scrolling, mix in creative and learning activities, stay mindful, and use digital tools to build skills and social ties.
NPR journalist Manoush Zomorodi discusses how pervasive technology affects physical health and shares insights from her Body Electric study, expanding on her earlier work on mental health and productivity.
YouTube is rolling out a zero-minute Shorts option under Time management, effectively adding friction that can hide Shorts from the Home feed when set to 0 minutes. It’s not a full kill switch — Shorts can still appear in subscriptions and be accessed via direct links — but the feature makes it harder to doom-scroll. To enable, go to Profile > Settings > Time management and set the Shorts limit to 0 minutes; the rollout is underway and targeted at parental controls before expanding to everyone.
Denmark plans to ban children under 15 from certain social media platforms to protect youth mental health, following Australia's lead, with a focus on strengthening online safety initiatives and regulating platform access, supported by a majority in parliament.
YouTube has expanded its AI-based age verification system to more users, leading to account restrictions for those deemed under 18, which include content blocking and privacy reminders, as part of its efforts to enforce age-appropriate content and digital wellbeing tools.
The article discusses the growing concern of screen addiction across all ages, especially among the elderly, comparing it to past media concerns like TV, and highlighting how modern devices and algorithms are designed to be highly addictive, impacting mental health, socialization, and lifestyle. It emphasizes the need for balance, conscious usage, and leading by example to mitigate these effects.
YouTube is rapidly expanding its AI-based age verification system, leading to account restrictions for users it suspects are under 18, which include blocking age-restricted videos, limiting recommendations, and disabling personalized ads. The rollout has increased significantly recently, with many users reporting restrictions and prompts to verify their age through various methods.
A survey reveals that children aged 12-15 are increasingly taking breaks from smartphones and social media to protect their mental health, with many actively managing their online time and seeking to reduce digital stress, reflecting a broader awareness of the potential harms of excessive screen time.
The author explores the effectiveness of the One Sec app, which aims to reduce mindless social media use by adding barriers like time delays and front camera activation. Despite initial resistance and some technical challenges, the author finds that the app's deterrents, including the unflattering self-photos, quickly lose their impact as they adapt to the interruptions. Ultimately, the app's effectiveness is limited by the user's determination to access social media.
Palmsy is a new app that allows users to post content and receive fake likes and comments, but the catch is that no one can see the posts as they remain on the user's device. The app reads the user's contact list to assign pretend likes to posts, without sending any contact information to a server. It also offers advanced options to limit the number of likes on a post and the duration for which they come in. This app is part of a trend of time-limiting and consequence-free social media apps aimed at reducing addiction and providing a private space for self-expression.
Google is planning a major software update for its Pixel Buds Pro, which will add Clear Calling to filter out background noise and enhance voices, support for "Super Wide Band speech" to improve the quality of voice calls, and hearing-related Digital Wellbeing features. The updates are expected in the coming months and will extend the appeal of the Google headphones for the next year.
Americans now spend almost half of their days gazing into their various devices, while in the UK a study found that screen time has surged since pandemic lockdowns, with 50% of respondents clocking up 11 hours or more a day. Studies have also shown a collapse in our ability to concentrate. As part of a new editorial project, The Guardian is asking readers to share their experiences and feelings about their relationship with their smartphones, including their screen time habits, attempts to limit phone use, and the impact on their ability to focus.