The idea of course wouldnāt be to punish people for using technology. After all, so much of modern life depends on it. We work through it and stay connected to people across the world because of it. But somewhere along the way, technology stopped being just a tool to make things easier and started occupying every aspect of our lives, it became just too addictive.
In the world I imagine, or the small change i envision, once the clock hits a certain hour each day, social media platforms would temporarily go offline for a period. Not forever, not even for long, just enough time to push people back into the present moment. Phones would still work for important things like calls or emergencies, but the endless feeds would disappear for a while.
Obviously their would me groans, all about and people will find it difficult because many of us are so used to the constant flow of information. There would probably be a moment when people pick up their phones out of habit, only to remember that the digital world is taking its scheduled nap. But after that initial adjustment. People might begin looking up more.
Instead of staring at a screen during dinner, families might talk about their day again. Friends meeting at a cafƩ or pub might actually sit across from each other and laugh about something that happened earlier instead of showing each other videos. Someone sitting on a bus might notice the sunset outside the window, or the city passing by.
What makes this redesign interesting to me is that it would happen collectively. Everyone would be experiencing the pause at the same time. That shared moment would change the atmosphere of everyday life. Parks might fill with people who suddenly have a few minutes to spare because I went to a park recently that used to be filled up when i was a kid and it was like a ghost town. Outdoor activities have greatly reduced especially with the upcoming generation.
ANd yes i know that technology isnāt the enemy. In many ways it has made life easier and more connected. But like anything powerful, it works best when there are boundaries around it. In some countries like Austrailia the government has even banned social media for children . In a strange way, that small break could make the online world better too. When people return after the pause, they might be more intentional about how they use it.