Parents and teens alike are trading in their smartphones for "dumber" models to help stay offline.

Adults and teens concerned about their screen time are turning in their smartphones for “dumber” models.

Buried in the settings of many smartphones is the option to look up how much on average you are staring at your phone per day.

It can bring an uncomfortable realisation, that what was supposed to be a useful piece of technology has become an obsession.

…

According to a study by Harvard University, using social networking sites lights up the same part of the brain that is also triggered when taking an addictive substance. This has raised concerns about phone habits among youth.

In the UK, research by Ofcom estimates that around a quarter of children aged five to seven years old now have their own smartphone.

Links have been shown in some studies between use of social media and a negative effect on mental health - especially in children.

    • wensl@lemmy.world
      18·
      7 months ago

      I know you’re joking but mine won’t let me uninstall it, and get this, “disable” won’t work either! Samsung S9 (quite old now) btw if anyone reading this wants to avoid.

        • MalachaiConstant@lemmy.world
          9·
          7 months ago

          Rooting has always been beyond most users, even if it’s technically trivial. It’s definitely solvable, unfortunately most solutions in this direction tend to draw attention of corporate legal teams.

          • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
            31·
            7 months ago

            even if it’s technically trivial

            I wouldn’t call it trivial. I’ve seen my mom use a phone and you’d be amazed how much stuff isn’t trivial to anyone over 50.

        • this_1_is_mine@lemmy.world
          3·
          7 months ago

          So funny story about the S9 it’s only some of them are actually rootable because you can only unlock the bootloader on some of them I happen to have one currently typing this on it and let me tell you it is kind of right pain in the ass to deal with these phones and Custom os’s. Android 13 on this is a mess trying to install. Forget updates that’s are basically like reinstalling my current crdroid I have to do a whole bunch of jiggery Pokery in magisk creating a new patched loader beforinstalling some things can onlybefastboote installed like the is in crdroids case.

            • this_1_is_mine@lemmy.world
              1·
              7 months ago

              I’ve had a galaxy phone on and off since the s2. Actually mine was the epic 4g “s2” for sprint. Loved it others than the wimax it was a perfect device… S3 was the same. Went through 6 of those over time had all the colors. Loved my panda phone s3 made outta all my spare parts. The note 4 /s5 was thee pinicale point in my opinion of the phones them selves others then the USB 3.0 version 1 rember way back when it was just a dolled up USB 2.0 port with a added bit for the 3.0 pinning. You could still use your 2.0 micro cables with them to charge or transfer files just obviously at 2.0 speeds and levels.

        • 🖖USS-Ethernet@startrek.websiteEnglish
          3·
          7 months ago

          With an S9, you can probably just remove it via ADB. I know after a certain update they make it hard to remove stock apps via ADB, but some are still possible.

        • GenosseFlosse@lemmy.nz
          2·
          7 months ago

          Also, you dont need to buy a nice ferrari. Just get a cheap Toyota Tercel from facebook and then start replacing body, drivetrain, engine and interior with ferrari parts. I feel this is 100% solvable. But then I don’t buy cars, so maybe out of the loop.

        • Tyfud@lemmy.world
          1·
          6 months ago

          Rooting is a technical thing, not a user thing. You should not need to perform a complex and risky task like Rooting, to make a phone usable. It should come that way with those options to uninstall facebook by default.

      • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
        11·
        7 months ago

        Also saves a bunch of money. You can keep a dumb phone hooked up for less than $20/mo, while smart phone plans can be 3-5x that price.