Generation Z, which grew up with TikTok, Instagram, and constant notifications, is increasingly looking for ways to limit time spent on social media. Young users are installing app blockers, switching to phones with minimal features, and choosing in-person meetups more often. According to an EduBirdie survey, 59% of Gen Z respondents consider themselves addicted to social media. Against this backdrop, a separate business is growing: services that sell users the ability to spend less time looking at a screen.
Key Takeaways
- 59% of the 2,000 Gen Z respondents surveyed by EduBirdie described themselves as addicted to social media.
- 58% reported a negative impact of social media on productivity, while 57% reported a negative impact on social skills.
- In a separate study by The Harris Poll, 83% of adult Gen Z respondents had tried to limit their social media use at least once.
- Digital detox tools include app blockers, physical NFC devices, and minimalist phones.
- Some digital detox products cost tens or hundreds of dollars, but free solutions remain popular.
- For advertisers, this is a signal to examine changes in young audiences’ behavior, not proof of a mass exodus from social media.
59% of Gen Z Respondents Consider Themselves Addicted to Social Media
EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 members of Generation Z about their use of social platforms and psychological well-being. The results showed that a substantial share of young people associate excessive time online with problems in everyday life.
- 59% consider themselves addicted to social media.
- 58% said excessive social media use had negatively affected their productivity.
- 57% reported a negative impact on social skills.
- 43% reported a negative impact on romantic relationships.
- 46% associated their social media experience with stress or anxiety.
An important clarification: these are survey participants’ responses, not the results of a medical diagnosis. They also do not prove that social media itself caused every problem listed. However, they show how young users assess their own digital habits.
Another study, conducted by The Harris Poll among 1,006 adult Gen Z respondents aged 18–27, found a similar trend. Some 83% had done something at least once to reduce their social media use. In particular, 40% had deleted an app and 36% had turned off notifications outside the app.
At the same time, only 32% wanted to use social media less than they did at the time of the survey. This is an important distinction: attempts to control screen time do not mean an entire generation plans to leave social platforms.
How Gen Z Limits Social Media: From Blockers to Basic Phones
On October 27, 2026, The Guardian described several ways young people are trying to regain control of their attention. One approach involves apps that create an additional obstacle before opening Instagram, TikTok, or other services.
Opal and Brick: An Extra Barrier Before Scrolling
Opal lets users block distracting apps. The Guardian described a scenario in which regaining access requires completing a math problem. The idea is to interrupt the automatic habit of opening a feed without a specific purpose.
Brick takes a different approach: it is a physical device that interacts with a smartphone to block and unblock selected apps. This moves part of the control outside the screen: changing access mode requires an additional physical action.
There are cheaper alternatives, too. Duke University student Shreya Nallamothu created her own version of an app blocker using NFC tags that cost her about $8.
Minimalist Phones Instead of Smartphones
Some users go further and replace their regular smartphone with a device offering a limited set of features. One example is the Light Phone, which is designed for basic tasks without the usual selection of social media apps.
The Guardian cites the example of 23-year-old Kendall Schroe, who switched to a Light Phone. The publication notes that the model in question was selling for $349.
This approach does not necessarily mean giving up the internet entirely. For some users, the main goal is to remove constant access to feeds while keeping communication and other essential functions.
Businesses Are Already Making Money from Social Media Detox
Digital detox is becoming a distinct category of consumer products. The Guardian lists the following prices: an annual Opal subscription at $99.99, the physical Brick blocker at $59, and Shift, an app that simplifies smartphone functionality, at a one-time price of $150.
According to an estimate by research firm InsightAce Analytic cited by the publication, the digital detox market is valued at nearly $1 billion and is forecast to grow to almost $8 billion by 2035. This is a forecast, not a guaranteed market outcome.
However, turning interest into paid subscriptions is not easy. According to figures cited by The Guardian, about 95% of Opal’s 10 million users use the free version. In other words, demand for limiting screen time does not equal a willingness to pay for it regularly.
This creates an interesting business paradox: one part of the tech market earns money by increasing the time users spend in apps, while another earns money by reducing it.
Offline Meetups Are Becoming a Digital Product, Too
Returning to offline life does not always mean abandoning apps. Some services, on the contrary, use smartphones as tools for organizing real-world meetups.
One example is Pie (People I Enjoy), an app for discovering local events and meeting people with shared interests. According to The Guardian, its audience grew from 120,000 users in July to 300,000 in August 2026.
This is a different model of digital interaction: a user opens the service not to scroll endlessly through content, but to find an event and take part in it.
At the same time, individual stories and the rapid growth of one app do not yet prove that Generation Z is moving offline en masse. Rather, they demonstrate the emergence of alternative ways to use technology.
What Digital Detox Means for Meta, TikTok, and Advertisers
For platforms whose businesses depend on user attention, the spread of digital detox tools poses a potential challenge. If some of the audience starts opening feeds less often or turns off notifications, this could change how frequently people encounter content and advertising.
However, the available surveys do not justify claiming that Meta’s or TikTok’s advertising reach is already falling sharply because of digital detox. Such a conclusion would require data on actual platform usage, not just respondents’ intentions.
For marketers, the practical takeaway is to examine young audiences’ behavior using their own metrics: ad frequency, engagement, traffic quality, and conversions. Results from US surveys should not automatically be applied to every GEO.
Another potential direction is formats that help users gain specific value more quickly, rather than simply keeping them in a feed. This could include useful short-form content, purpose-driven services, or campaigns connected with real-world events.
UAGEEK has previously covered Threads as a source of organic traffic and the debate over age restrictions on social media in the EU. These topics highlight two different sides of change in the digital environment: the search for new channels of attention and growing scrutiny of how platforms engage users.
Gen Z Is Not Necessarily Leaving Social Media — It Is Changing How It Uses It
Digital detox should not be confused with abandoning technology altogether. The Harris Poll study shows that young people recognize the benefits of social media while also trying to control the time they spend on it.
The key change is emerging demand for control over attention. Some users simply turn off notifications, others delete apps, and some buy dedicated devices or switch to simpler phones.
For technology companies, this is a new product category. For the advertising market, it is a reminder that audience attention is not an unlimited resource and that digital habits can change even when the number of social media accounts remains high.
Sources for Verification
Sources for Verification
EduBirdie — How Social Media Affects Gen Z’s Mental Health. Survey of 2,000 Gen Z respondents, including the 59%, 58%, and 57% figures and other self-reported findings.
EduBirdie Survey Results
The Harris Poll — What Gen Z thinks about its social media and smartphone usage. Survey of 1,006 adult Gen Z respondents, with data on deleting apps, turning off notifications, and trying to reduce screen time.
Study of Gen Z Digital Habits
The Guardian — Gen Z is fighting back against big tech, October 27, 2026. Report on Opal, Brick, Light Phone, the digital detox market, and services for offline meetups.
Digital Detox Report
Pew Research Center — 10 facts about teens and social media. Additional context on how American teenagers assess social media’s effects on sleep, productivity, and communication.
Pew Research Center Data
