Endless scrolling on platforms like Meta’s (META) Instagram and ByteDance’s (BDNCE) TikTok can quietly stretch a few minutes into half an hour. Occasionally, that trance is broken by so-called “creators” who interrupt feeds with reminders about how quickly time slips away online, the Associated Press reported Sunday.
One of them is Olivia Yokubonis, known online as Olivia Unplugged. Her videos gently point out how little viewers retain from rapid-fire content and encourage more mindful use of social apps.
While some viewers appreciate the nudge, others criticize the irony of posting anti-scroll messages on the very platforms she critiques. Yokubonis argues the contradiction is unavoidable: reaching people requires meeting them where they already are.
Her content reflects a widespread unease about screen time. Ofir Turel, who studies digital behavior, has found that many people dramatically underestimate their usage. When confronted with actual screen-time data, participants often cut back voluntarily.
Go Outside, Touch Grass
Yokubonis is part of a broader trend of creators urging viewers to close the app they’re using. Some are blunt, others subtle. Though she works for Opal, a screen-time management app, her content is largely free of overt branding, emphasizing credibility over promotion.
Researchers remain divided on whether heavy social media use qualifies as addiction. Some argue the term should be reserved for cases involving clear clinical symptoms, while others note that “addiction” resonates culturally, even if it lacks precision.
Ian A. Anderson has found that many users label themselves addicted despite not meeting diagnostic thresholds, and that believing so can actually undermine self-control by increasing guilt and resignation.
Experts suggest modest interventions for reducing screen time, such as moving apps off the home screen, disabling notifications or keeping phones out of certain rooms. More structured tools can help, but only if users are motivated to change.
Other creators approach the issue by explaining the systems behind endless scrolling. Cat Goetze, known as CatGPT online, frames excessive use as the result of deliberate platform design rather than personal failure. She has also built a business around hardware that limits smartphone use, tapping into growing demand for ways to disengage.
Despite the tension, these creators share a common view: social media isn’t going away. But even modest reductions in daily screen time could yield meaningful benefits, for individuals and society alike, the AP reported.