Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
PROVO — Macy Dial had been on social media for a decade — about half her life — when she decided she was done.
Looking back on that decade, she can see how social media "fundamentally altered" her brain.
"Anything beautiful or precious in my life became an opportunity for a photo op. I began to think in Instagram captions," she wrote. "The validation that I got from posting … became a sustaining force for my self-esteem."
Fellow Brigham Young University senior Kristen Hansen also felt disillusioned with the platforms she'd grown up on. After scrolling, she said she'd reenter reality feeling "numb."
"When I got off social media initially, I felt this social shock," Hansen said. Now, she and Dial are teaming up to encourage Geneneration Z to get off of social apps and experience the shock for themselves.
The pair are calling the movement "Summer Off Socials" — participants will ditch at least one social media platform for the summer and replace it with in-person connections. To nudge participants in the right direction, Summer Off Socials will text out weekly challenges, like going on a phoneless walk for 30 minutes, calling a long-distance friend or meeting someone new.
The initiative launches June 1, and almost 300 people have signed up so far. Some friends are joining together, which helps. Dial said: "It's so much easier if we're all holding hands and jumping together."
For context, the average Gen Zer spends around seven hours a day on screens, according to some reports. Dozens of efforts have attempted to curb screen time through usage tracking apps, time limit settings and even a 3D-printed brick that temporarily removes apps from your phone.
Hansen and Dial aren't necessarily expecting participants to swear off social media forever, but they do hope people become more thoughtful about their digital choices.
"I hope they get the awareness that this is an option as a way of living, and that it's maybe not as bad or scary as it seems," Dial said.
There are obvious drawbacks to living sans socials. You might not stay current with trends or slang, and some small businesses only post updates on social media. Plus, you'll definitely miss out on some life updates.
"We're missing a lot of wedding announcements. But if you're only going to find out about it through Instagram, is it really your business?" Dial joked.
For Gen Zers, being active on social media can feel like a "cultural mandate," Dial said. Logging out has made participants "feel relieved."
Hansen and Dial recognize their initiative isn't for everyone. They're mostly targeting people who have toyed with the idea of deleting socials but haven't taken the leap — they know they probably won't convince any serial TikTokers.
"We just realized what a big problem this is, and we don't pretend to be the solution," Dial said.
Maybe someday there will be a "mass exodus" from social media platforms, but for now Dial and Hansen are just encouraging people to take a break.
