Friday 6 March is GLOBAL DAY OF UNPLUGGING – an established not-for-profit movement dedicated to encouraging people to ‘unplug’ and take a break from digital devices for 24 hours and reconnect with the world around them.
The day that’s observed world-wide comes as new research from Zen Internet and Censuswide reveals that two-thirds of people in the UK have never taken a break from the Internet (and, moreover, one third do not even want to).
Despite the rise of a so-termed ‘digital detox’ culture together with growing conversations around switching off, new research reveals that nearly two-thirds (63%) of the UK population have never taken a break from the Internet. More than a third (34%) say they would never want to unplug.
Digital detox
Only 37% of people say they have ever taken a digital detox, and just 16% do so regularly, showing that switching off from the Internet is still the exception rather than the norm.
- Nearly 2 in 5 (37%) people said they have taken a digital detox, with 1 in 6 (16%) who do this regularly and just over a fifth (21%) who have done this once or twice.
- Over 3 in 5 (63%) the UK population have never taken a digital detox, with almost 3 in 10 (28%) who said they haven’t but would like to and over a third (34%) who haven’t and would not either.
- Over half (55%) of Gen Z UK people said they have taken a digital detox, compared to a fifth (20%) of Baby Boomers who said the same.
- Over a fifth (22%) of people aged 16-18 have never taken a digital detox and would not either. A fifth (22%) of Brits never feel overwhelmed by being constantly connected or online.
Fear of being offline helps explain why a true digital detox remains out of reach for many. Almost half (45%) say they would struggle to go without Internet access beyond 12 hours, and only 12% of 18 to 24-year-olds think they could cope for a full week – a reliance that is reshaping expectations around connectivity.
Gen Z most online, but also most self-aware
Younger generations are both more digitally immersed and more honest about it. Around 3 in 5 Gen Z (59%) and Millennials (63%) say they spend more time online than offline, compared to just a third (33%) of Baby Boomers.
Gen Z are also the most likely to admit they waste a lot of time online, with 32% saying they spend excessive time scrolling social media, versus 16% of Baby Boomers.
At the same time, 55% of Gen Z say they have taken a digital detox, compared to just 20% of Baby Boomers, suggesting younger people may be more conscious of their online habits, even if full disconnection remains difficult.
Positive impact?
The top five ways, UK based computer users have said access to the Internet has had a positive impact on their life, are:
- Provided me with more entertainment (60%)
- Helped me reconnect with friends or family (54%)
- Supported my education or upskilling (35%)
- Improved my access to healthcare or wellbeing resources (31%)
- Allowed me to work remotely or flexibly (31%)
Always connected, but not universally overwhelmed
Despite concerns around constant connectivity, the relationship with the internet is not viewed as wholly negative. Just over one in five Brits (22%) say they never feel overwhelmed by being constantly connected or online, while others describe a more balanced or pragmatic relationship.
When asked which statements best describe their internet use today, respondents confirmed it has made daily life admin easier (31%), that they couldn’t live without it (30%), or that they have a healthy balance with their internet use (30%). These stats reflect a nation that relies on being online, even if it occasionally feels conflicted about how connected it has become.
Commenting on the findings, Stephen Warburton from Zen Internet tells Digital Journal: “There’s a lot of talk about digital detoxing, and taking time to switch off can be important for wellbeing. But for most people the internet now plays a central role in everyday life. The findings show that while many recognise the need for balance, switching off entirely isn’t always practical in a world that’s increasingly built around being online. As reliance deepens, expectations around reliability and resilience are rising too.”
