So the internet broke this week, maybe you noticed?
On Monday, Facebook, and its pals Instagram and WhatsApp, went down worldwide for about six hours due to some “configuration changes on the backbone routers that coordinate network traffic between our data centers," blocking their ability to communicate and setting off a cascade of network failures.
Don’t worry, that explanation caused a cascade of network failure in my data centers, too.
Honestly, I felt like my brain was short-circuiting the whole day. Once the interwebs collectively confirmed the absence of our most omnipresent social media, I still couldn’t stop that phantom reach for my phone. Once I stopped checking Instagram, I was checking Twitter for updates and memes about Facebook and Instagram. Once I stopped checking Twitter, I took a peek into YouTube and felt a pull towards that one-word game app I told myself I absolutely positively would not spend any more actual money on, I swear!
Once Facebook and Instagram were back online, I felt a bit ashamed that I had felt their absence so deeply and a bit of a desire that they were gone forever. I imagine I’m not alone in those sentiments.
But the thing is, we don’t actually need a global outage to break bad screen habits, and it shouldn’t take a Facebook whistleblower to remind us that the internet can be a toxic place. Like most other things, our digital lives are complex, and as such, our relationships with our screens and the internet should be treated with care.
Social media is designed to be addicting. It’s not all your fault: Features like pull to refresh, endless scroll, autoplay -- they’re all created to keep you hooked and play a role in social media behavior. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Experts say keep in mind the onus is on companies as well as consumers to enforce healthy media consumption habits.
Your digital life is real, too: And should be treated as such. Be mindful of how your time online and on social media makes you feel, and take the time to “spruce up” your digital space just like you would your home garden. Make sure you clear out the apps you’re not using, take some time to prune that “following” list -- do whatever you need to clear the decks and cultivate some online joy.
Take breaks: You might not be able or willing to quit social media cold turkey. But turning on your “Do Not Disturb” for just an evening a week, or during mealtimes, or whatever makes sense for you, could give you that sense of peace you’ve been craving.
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