"Account manager Matt Richards, 23, deleted all his social media apps from his phone last year, and was surprised to find that his life changed for the better. Richards had been using a smartphone since he was 11 years old and grew up with the device like most Gen Z and millennials. However, in the past few years, he noticed social media didn't feel as fun anymore with artificial-intelligence slop dominating his feed, influencers advertising brands, and constant lifestyle comparison. "I think people"
""I think people back then used to take a break from the real world by going on their phone, but now people are taking a break from their phone to spend time in the real world," Richards told CNBC Make It in an interview. As many of his Gen Z friends also caught on, he noticed instant benefits, from connecting with people in real life to feeling more confident about himself. Going chronically offline is the latest trend to grip young"
Many young people are deleting social media apps and spending more time offline. An account manager who deleted all social apps reported better real-life connections and improved self-confidence. Peers have switched to flip phones, visited record stores for vinyl, and taken up analog hobbies like knitting. TikTok features many videos pledging to delete apps and embrace in-person activities in 2026. A LinkedIn outreach received nearly 100 responses describing detoxes and digital burnout. A 2025 Deloitte survey of over 4,000 Brits found nearly a quarter deleted a social app in the prior year, rising to about a third among Gen Z.
Read at www.cnbc.com
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