Latest news with #OfflineClub
DW
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- DW
Young Europeans are growing tired of smartphones – DW – 05/25/2025
A British survey found that almost half of young people polled would prefer growing up without the internet, with a majority welcoming a social media curfew. What's behind this? The Offline Club Instagram account has almost 530,000 followers. This seems almost ironic, as The Offline Club promotes taking a conscious break from social media, including Instagram. "Swap screen time for real time" is the slogan used by the event management company's three Dutch founders, Ilya Kneppelhout, Jordy van Bennekom and Valentijn Klok. Their aim is to use The Offline Club to "reconnect people with themselves and others through real-world communities and authentic, offline experiences." For the past year, the three have organized meetups during which smartphones and laptops were not allowed. "Are you ready to ditch your phone?" they ask in a pinned reel on Instagram. Apparently, more and more people are willing to switch off their phones — at least for these organized events. Instead of taking their smartphones out, people read, play games, do arts and crafts or relax for a few hours. Workshops, called Digital Detox Retreats, take several days. "We envision a world in which phone-free spaces and offline communities are the norm," the three founders write on their website . The Dutch concept has been spreading worldwide over the last year. Amsterdam was one of the first locations, then came London, Paris, Milan and Copenhagen. Berlin has also hosted the first meetings of this kind. Also, a growing number of restaurants and clubs have been asking their guests to leave cellphones at home. TikTok-Brain – What social media does to our concentration To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More people want to spend less time online, studies find The Dutch founders seem to have struck a nerve. After all, young people in particular often find it difficult to switch off their smartphones despite having all the settings that could limit their usage time. Even the return of the "boring phone" without apps has not been able to seriously displace smartphones, despite being celebrated on social networks. According to figures by the German industry association Bitkom from the end of 2024, people aged 16-29 spend more than three hours per day on their smartphones. That is the highest usage time of all age groups, and the actual duration is probably even longer. Young people spend three hours per day on their smartphones, most likely even more Image: Wolfram Steinberg/dpa/picture alliance Yet, a large number of young people would like to spend significantly less time on their smartphones. According to a new survey by the British Standards Institution, almost 70% of the 1,293 people aged 16-21 feel worse when they spend time on social media. Half would be in favor of a "digital curfew" that would restrict access to certain apps and websites after 10 p.m. Around 46% even stated that they would have preferred to be young in a world without the internet. These results align with other surveys, such as the one Harris Poll, an American polling institute, conducted in late 2024 . In that survey, many young people wished that TikTok, Instagram or X had never been invented. Explainer: Why Meta's monopoly is dangerous for you To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Political protection On Tuesday, British Technology Minister Peter Kyle hinted at considering mandatory curfews , according to The Guardian newspaper. Norway wants to raise the age limit for the use of social media from 13 to 15. As a global pioneer, Australia already raised the age limit to 16 in late 2024. Other countries, such as Denmark, ban tablets and smartphones almost entirely from schoolyards. In 2024, Danish Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye said the country had been naive in its approach to digitalization. Australia has banned children under the age of 16 from social media Image: William West/AFP/Getty Images Harmful effects of smartphone use Excessive smartphone use is further associated with various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disorders and addictive behavior. A study published in the journal BMC Medicine earlier this year found that depressive symptoms decreased by 27% after three weeks of reduced smartphone use. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, young people's mental health has deteriorated dramatically over the past 15 years. This trend was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital media was increasingly used. However, the OECD also stated that research has not yet been able to prove any direct causality between those two factors. The founders of the Dutch Offline Club want to take action and expand their meetups. Offline events are increasingly happening in different cities. In early April, over 1,000 people switched off their phones and smiled happily into the camera in London. This marks a new record, the offline influencers proudly declared — on Instagram, of course. This article was originally written in German.
Times of Oman
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Young adults in Europe are putting away smartphones
London: The Offline Club Instagram account has almost 530,000 followers. This seems almost ironic, as The Offline Club promotes taking a conscious break from social media, including Instagram. "Swap screen time for real time" is the slogan used by the event management company's three Dutch founders, Ilya Kneppelhout, Jordy van Bennekom and Valentijn Klok. Their aim is to use The Offline Club to "reconnect people with themselves and others through real-world communities and authentic, offline experiences." For the past year, the three have organised meetups during which smartphones and laptops were not allowed. "Are you ready to ditch your phone?" they ask in a pinned reel on Instagram. Apparently, more and more people are willing to switch off their cellphones, at least for these organised events. Instead of taking their smartphones out, people read, play games, do arts and crafts or relax for a few hours. Workshops, called Digital Detox Retreats, take several days. "We envision a world in which phone-free spaces and offline communities are the norm," the three founders write on their website.. The Dutch concept has been spreading worldwide over the last year. Amsterdam was one of the first locations, then came London, Paris, Milan and Copenhagen. Berlin also hosted the first meetings of this kind. Also, a growing number of restaurants and clubs ask their guests to leave cellphones at home. The Dutch founders seem to have struck a nerve. After all, young people in particular often find it difficult to switch off their smartphones despite having all the settings that could limit their usage time. Even the return of the "boring phone" without apps has not been able to seriously displace smartphones despite being celebrated on social networks. According to figures by the German industry association Bitkom from the end of 2024, people aged 16-29 spend more than three hours per day on their smartphones. That is the highest usage time of all age groups, and the actual duration is probably even longer. Yet, a large number of young people would like to spend significantly less time on their smartphones. According to a new survey by the British Standards Institution (BSI), almost 70% of the 1,293 people aged 16-21 feel worse when they spend time on social media. Half would be in favor of a "digital curfew" that would restrict access to certain apps and websites after 10 p.m. Around 46% even stated that they would have preferred to be young in a world without the internet. These results align with other surveys, such as the one Harris Polls, an American polling institute, conducted in late 2024. In that survey, many young people wished that TikTok, Instagram or X had never been invented. On Tuesday, British Technology Minister Peter Kyle hinted at considering mandatory curfews, according to The Guardian newspaper. Norway wants to raise the age limit for the use of social media from 13 to 15. As a global pioneer, Australia already raised the age limit to 16 in late 2024. Other countries, such as Denmark, ban tablets and smartphones almost entirely from schoolyards. In 2024, Danish Minister of Education Mattias Tesfaye said that the country had been in its approach to digitalisation. Excessive smartphone use is further associated with various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disorders and addictive behaviour. A study published in the journal BMC Medicine earlier this year found that depressive symptoms decreased by 27% after three weeks of reduced smartphone use. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), young people's mental health has deteriorated dramatically over the past 15 years. This trend was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital media was increasingly used. However, the OECD also stated that research has not yet been able to prove any direct causality between those two factors. On the other hand, the founders of the Dutch Offline Club want to take action and expand their meetups. Offline events are increasingly happening in different cities. In early April, over 1,000 people switched off their cell phones and smiled happily into the camera in London. This marks a new record, the offline influencers proudly declared, of course, on Instagram.
DW
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- DW
Young adults in Europe are putting away smartphones – DW – 05/25/2025
A British survey found that almost half of young adults would prefer to live in a time without the Internet. One startup from the Netherlands is trying to accommodate such people by organizing offline meetups. The Offline Club Instagram account has almost 530,000 followers. This seems almost ironic, as The Offline Club promotes taking a conscious break from social media, including Instagram. "Swap screen time for real time" is the slogan used by the event management company's three Dutch founders, Ilya Kneppelhout, Jordy van Bennekom and Valentijn Klok. Their aim is to use The Offline Club to "reconnect people with themselves and others through real-world communities and authentic, offline experiences." For the past year, the three have organized meetups during which smartphones and laptops were not allowed. "Are you ready to ditch your phone?" they ask in a pinned reel on Instagram. Apparently, more and more people are willing to switch off their cellphones, at least for these organized events. Instead of taking their smartphones out, people read, play games, do arts and crafts or relax for a few hours. Workshops, called Digital Detox Retreats, take several days. "We envision a world in which phone-free spaces and offline communities are the norm," the three founders write on their website . The Dutch concept has been spreading worldwide over the last year. Amsterdam was one of the first locations, then came London, Paris, Milan and Copenhagen. Berlin also hosted the first meetings of this kind. Also, a growing number of restaurants and clubs ask their guests to leave cellphones at home. TikTok-Brain – What social media does to our concentration To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video More people want to spend less time online, studies find The Dutch founders seem to have struck a nerve. After all, young people in particular often find it difficult to switch off their smartphones despite having all the settings that could limit their usage time. Even the return of the "boring phone" without apps has not been able to seriously displace smartphones despite being celebrated on social networks. According to figures by the German industry association Bitkom from the end of 2024, people aged 16-29 spend more than three hours per day on their smartphones. That is the highest usage time of all age groups, and the actual duration is probably even longer. Young people spend three hours per day on their smartphones, most likely even more Image: Wolfram Steinberg/dpa/picture alliance Yet, a large number of young people would like to spend significantly less time on their smartphones. According to a new survey by the British Standards Institution (BSI), almost 70% of the 1,293 people aged 16-21 feel worse when they spend time on social media. Half would be in favor of a "digital curfew" that would restrict access to certain apps and websites after 10 p.m. Around 46% even stated that they would have preferred to be young in a world without the internet. These results align with other surveys, such as the one Harris Polls, an American polling institute, conducted in late 2024 . In that survey, many young people wished that TikTok, Instagram or X had never been invented. Explainer: Why Meta's monopoly is dangerous for you To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Political protection On Tuesday, British Technology Minister Peter Kyle hinted at considering mandatory curfews , according to The Guardian newspaper. Norway wants to raise the age limit for the use of social media from 13 to 15. As a global pioneer, Australia already raised the age limit to 16 in late 2024. Other countries, such as Denmark, ban tablets and smartphones almost entirely from schoolyards. In 2024, Danish Minister of Education Mattias Tesfaye said that the country had been in its approach to digitalization. Australia has banned children under the age of 16 from social media Image: William West/AFP/Getty Images Harmful effects of smartphone use Excessive smartphone use is further associated with various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disorders and addictive behavior. A study published in the journal BMC Medicine earlier this year found that depressive symptoms decreased by 27% after three weeks of reduced smartphone use. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), young people's mental health has deteriorated dramatically over the past 15 years. This trend was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital media was increasingly used. However, the OECD also stated that research has not yet been able to prove any direct causality between those two factors. On the other hand, the founders of the Dutch Offline Club want to take action and expand their meetups. Offline events are increasingly happening in different cities. In early April, over 1,000 people switched off their cell phones and smiled happily into the camera in London. This marks a new record, the offline influencers proudly declared, of course, on Instagram. This article was originally published in German.
Khaleej Times
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Digital detox: Young adults flock to London 'offline' nights
Lois Shafier dropped her mobile phone into a deposit box, happy in the knowledge that for the next two hours she would be completely offline. No pings, beeps or distractions. "I'm bad at switching off. I have a proper addiction to my phone," she told AFP, as she headed into an evening out organised by the "Offline Club" in London. Tickets were snatched up when they went on sale for the two-hour "digital detox" night, with more than 150 young adults aged mostly between 20 and 35 eager to ditch their screens for an IRL evening -- meeting up in real life. They each paid £9.50 ($11.97) for the chance to switch off their phones and make in-person human connections. "We are the technology generation, but we're tired of it. We want to reconnect with the real world," said Bianca Bolum. The 25-year-old jeweller had come on her own and was hoping to meet new people. According to the UK's telecoms regulator Ofcom, young Brits aged between 25 and 34 spend an average of four hours and three minutes a day glued to their smartphones. But Liliann Delacruz, 22, said she spent about 10 hours a day texting with her family and friends, surfing the net and checking her socials. The evening was a chance to "get outside my bubble." Scattered around the room in a local London church were tables stacked with board games, as an excited hum echoed around the walls. Engineer Harry Stead, 25, said he found leaving his phone at the door "freeing". "I don't realise the addiction and then too often I feel the urge to look at my phone and scroll," he told AFP, adding he suffered from "FOMO" ("Fear of missing out"). - 'Loneliness epidemic' - Shafier, 35, had come with a friend and they sat chatting together as they sewed. If she had been at home, her phone would have been next to her. "I hate I use my phone so much. I'm angry at myself," she said. As soon as the evening was over though, she switched her phone back on, scanning her screen. Ironically the participants found out about the club via social media, often Instagram posts. Organiser Ben Hounsell, 23, said he was not against technology or calling for everyone to get rid of their phones. "A lot of people are realising that just getting away from your phone for a few hours can be super beneficial in a number of ways," he said. Since the club launched at the end of October, more than 2,000 people have taken part. "It's really just growing super rapidly in London. Every event seems to sell out instantly," he said. The club has also opened branches in Paris, Barcelona and Dubai. The first Offline Club was launched in Amsterdam by Ilya Kneppelhout and two friends. "The loneliness epidemic and the mental health epidemics are on the rise. So people really seek connection, genuine connection with others away from screens," said Kneppelhout. "A lot of us have social media and phone addictions because we're using it even though we don't want to... and we're using it even though we know it doesn't make us feel better." - #offline - Kneppelhout has been inspired by book clubs such as Reading Rhythms in New York or the Silent Book Club where people gather to read together. Those seeking a longer detox can even join retreats in several countries lasting days. Some influencers, ever present on social media, are leading the way. French woman Lena Mahfouf announced to her millions of followers in November that she was taking a month-long break. Venetia La Manna, an online activist for sustainable fashion, disconnects from her phone every weekend, and lets her followers know with the hashtag #offline48. "I'm able to be more present with my loved ones, I sleep better, I have more time to be creative, to be in nature and to be with my community." For most people, "the real issue isn't necessarily harm to mental health; it's missed opportunities. What didn't you do because you were scrolling?" said Anna Cox, a professor of human-computer interaction at University College London. "Did you miss a conversation with your partner," for example, or stay up later than planned and put off doing the washing up? But Cox said there are excellent strategies "to help people reduce the time they spend on their devices," such as turning off notifications or switching the phone's interface to black and white. "We need to educate ourselves -- and particularly young people -- on how to take control of our devices," she added.
