A number of celebrities announced, through the Instagram application, that they were cut off from their fans and turned off their phones, in celebration of the "Global Day of Unplugging".

Followers' curiosity increased after tennis champion Serena Williams and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik, best known for her role in The Big Bang Theory, joined the campaign.

What is "International Electricity Day"?

"International Electricity Day" falls on the first weekend (the first Saturday and Sunday) of March, and its celebration is limited to turning off the phone, computer and television for a period of 24 hours, starting from sunset to the sunset that follows it, with an opportunity to participate in one hour for beginners, from In order to combat the unhappiness caused by addiction to phones, and to encourage watching the first moments of sunshine, rather than turning up the brightness of the screen.

So, a group of non-profit companies created a website for the campaign, these independent companies dedicated to digital well-being, digital safety and mental health.

They announced the organization of events in 9 countries, including Canada, America, Mexico, Britain and Switzerland.

The festivities include offline activities, to help newcomers discover a new world of face-to-face communication, enjoying nature, and getting to know independent artists.

These celebrations will not be filmed, nor will they be broadcast live, or at a later time.

The campaign website announced that the first spark for that idea was in 2009, after academic and clinical research emerged on the long-term impact of smartphone use on mental and psychological health.

At that time, members of the American "Reboot" Foundation for Culture and Arts felt the extent of "the necessity to slow down life in a hectic world." Young people began inviting their friends to dinner on the West Coast of the United States, where they all refrain from using the phone during the gathering, and then thousands of artists and technicians followed the idea. Around the world, they organized celebrations without phones, and year after year, today it is no longer just an American initiative.

Campaign slogan from the "Unplug Collaborative" website

Celebrities join the campaign

2023 is the first year in which the idea of ​​"International Day of Unplugging" is released to the world thanks to several partnerships, led by Exposure Labs, the producer of the movie "The Social Dilemma", which brought together repentant creators and developers. social media, displaying the unintended consequences of their inventions.

In addition, the number of activists in the "World Unplugged Day" campaign gradually increased, and their nationalities and interests diversified. The campaign website announced the joining of Tracy Dennis Tiwari, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the City University of New York, and director Tiffany Schlain, author of the book "24/6: Letting go." Screens a day a week to increase time and creativity.

Randy Zuckerberg, founder of Zuckerberg Media, and Mark Zuckerberg's sister, was the most important person to join the "International Day of Unplugging" campaign in 2014, and at that time the Huffington Post published an interview with her, during which she spoke of her motivation as a new mother to give Taking care of her child and spending one day each week with her little family.

Producer and singer Stephen Marley, who won 8 Grammy Awards, also announced a series of concerts that will not be filmed, under the title "Tour with the Soul", in celebration of "World Unplugged Day".

Why should we try?

We can't disagree that we live in a digital environment that has made life without the Internet almost impossible. The Internet helps us learn and communicate, but it tops the list of major causes of chronic stress.

The Pew Research Center links why social media is associated with stress with our desire to have a huge network of friends, our jealousy about the lives they offer, and our need to keep up to date with the latest on family and friends.

The American Psychological Association (APA) also surveyed opinions about the level of stress when using the phone, and the results indicated that more than 8 out of 10 people check their phones most of the time, in search of new notifications.

The Internet tops the list of the main causes of chronic stress (Pixaby)

There are also dangers that exceed stress and tension, on top of which is "digital dementia";

It is a term coined by German neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer in 2012, to describe a series of nervous breakdowns caused by prolonged phone and computer use.

A person with "digital dementia" suffers similar symptoms to dementia, with a single difference between them. While dementia affects people as they age, "digital dementia" affects people of all ages.

The first symptoms of "digital dementia" appear early, and include frequent forgetfulness, confusion of thoughts, and rapid nervous breakdown.