{"id":75514,"date":"2025-01-13T00:34:50","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T05:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=75514"},"modified":"2025-01-13T00:34:50","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T05:34:50","slug":"teens-strategies-for-limiting-time-spent-surfing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/teens-strategies-for-limiting-time-spent-surfing\/","title":{"rendered":"Teens’ strategies for limiting time spent surfing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

During a long holiday period like the one we just went through, many parents spend more time with their teenagers and monitor their screen time in the hope that they will get outside. They will be keeping an eye on one type of behavior in particular: time spent\u00a0<\/span>scrolling<\/span><\/em>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

In particular,\u00a0<\/span>doomscrolling<\/span><\/em>\u00a0, which involves scrolling endlessly across the screen of a phone, computer or tablet, has become widespread especially since the Covid-19 crisis and poses significant health problems. By processing too much information, those who engage in this activity run the risk of suffering from anxiety and\u00a0<\/span>cognitive overload<\/span><\/a>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

My research, however, gives us reason for optimism. Surveying 252 young people aged 11 to 19, I found that teens have more than one trick up their sleeve to avoid\u00a0online<\/em><\/a><\/span> temptation<\/span><\/a>\u00a0.<\/span><\/p>\n

A socially shared phenomenon<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Before we get into them, it should be noted that\u00a0<\/span>doomscrolling<\/span><\/em>\u00a0is by no means a generational phenomenon. As Internet users, we are all exposed to the strategies implemented by platforms to encourage us to stay connected as long as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

The attention-grabbing industry<\/span><\/a>\u00a0affects us all, whatever our age or condition, from the moment we start using connected devices. In fact, many teenagers point out the less than exemplary use of\u00a0smartphones<\/em><\/a><\/span> by adults<\/span><\/a>\u00a0, like Nicolas, aged 14:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy stepdad spends an incredible amount of time on Facebook and then he\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, take it easy on Snapchat, Nico.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lucy, 16, knows all too well that the connected society we live in makes smartphones essential\u00a0<\/span>everyday objects<\/span><\/a>\u00a0in professional, academic or personal spheres. She calls on adults to be more self-aware:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s not just me, or the young people, who have to stop this, parents are no better and can’t control things better than us.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Between guilt and coping strategies<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Mobile phones play a prominent role in the digital lives of teenagers. These\u00a0<\/span>devices<\/span><\/a>\u00a0satisfy certain\u00a0<\/span>social needs<\/span><\/a>\u00a0, as well as many\u00a0<\/span>informational needs<\/span><\/a>\u00a0, in relation to\u00a0<\/span>news or topics related to their interests<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or school activities.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I hear teenagers talk about their relationship with their phones, I am struck by the guilt that emanates from their conversations. For example, 17-year-old Ambre confesses:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you feel bad about yourself, because it ruins your sleep, family time, and the time you should be spending doing homework or doing things outdoors.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

However, Melvin points out:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe time you spend [on the phone] makes you very anxious, but it’s also difficult because you can’t shut out the world either. You need a balance, you know?\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Teenagers seek this balance, deploying various strategies to try to control their time, their hobbies and even their self-esteem: \u201cWhen I waste time like this, I feel terrible,\u201d says Romane, 17.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common of these strategies involves turning on \u201cairplane\u201d or \u201cdo not disturb\u201d mode on your phone, hoping to improve your focus on a task. Some people make more radical decisions, such as not installing an app they have identified as potentially problematic for them. This is the case for 17-year-old Geoffrey, who has \u201cchosen not to download TikTok precisely because it takes too much time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another common strategy is to temporarily uninstall an app \u201cjust long enough to take the edge off\u201d from the flood of notifications, says Juliette, 17. This strategy is mostly adopted by high school students, either during intense periods of revision or when they are suffering from information overload:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes I notice it, I feel oppressed by it and I can\u2019t take it anymore, so I uninstall the app. I immediately feel better and as if the pressure has gone away, and when I feel that I have calmed down a bit, so to speak, I reinstall the\u00a0app\u00a0. I can\u2019t stop using it, it\u2019s not possible, I need it, I like it, I learn things with it, I also follow the news with it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Apolline, 16 years old.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Education, the best enemy of\u00a0doomscrolling<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n

These interviews raise the question of how adults can support adolescents in their efforts to avoid information overload.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, the idea of \u200b\u200bimposing strict control is illusory, and even counterproductive, as it would only generate frustration. Moreover, such a measure\u00a0<\/span>does not train or instil a sense of responsibility in adolescents<\/span><\/a>\u00a0. Addressing this problem requires an educational response at several levels.<\/span><\/p>\n

First of all, it seems essential to consider this issue for what it is: a socially shared problem that has everyone looking for tips on how not to get lost in the flow. To encourage concentration, it is best to disable as many notifications as possible from the apps that consume the most time. Moreover, too much of everything ends up cancelling out the pleasure one can get from individual apps or platforms: the more you control the time you spend online, the more you will enjoy it.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, to understand what leads us to\u00a0<\/span>doomscrolling<\/span><\/em>\u00a0, we need to learn about\u00a0<\/span>the dynamics of the attention economy<\/span><\/a>\u00a0, and understand in detail the processes that we go through when we are confronted with the strategies implemented by digital industries (\u00a0<\/span>dark pattern<\/span><\/a>\u00a0,\u00a0<\/span>emotional design<\/span><\/a>\u00a0), in particular.<\/span><\/p>\n