Reason Why New Jersey Residents Are Taking Breaks From Technology

Over the last 20-plus years, the evolution of technology has led to people becoming more dependent on tech in their daily lives.  All of us are checking our smartphones for messages, news updates, social media alerts, and even playing games on these devices that we are seemingly attached to.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the intense isolation many people had to deal with, the consumption of digital media increased.  The average time spent per day with Digital Media increased from 409 minutes in 2019 to 485 Minutes in 2021. In the United States in 2023, the Average Time Spent per Day with Digital media was 503 minutes (8.38 Hours).

The online Computer Services Company Secure Data Recovery surveyed thousands of Americans to find out the impact of their technology use and reasons why they plan to use technology more or less in 2024.  Their research found that 69 percent of Americans say that technology exposes them to more negativity than they want to see and 41 percent say technology is more harmful to human connection than helpful in today's world.

According to their research, New Jersey residents are the ninth most likely in the United States to take more breaks from technology in 2024.  Survey respondents from the Garden State say they need to take more breaks from technology because they feel Addicted to using Social Media, Online Shopping, Streaming Videos, and reading news online.

In 2019, California State University estimated that over 33 Million Americans are addicted to social media.  But that research was done before the COVID-19 Pandemic and people's use of technology was permanently altered.  It is safe to assume the number of people addicted increases when for long periods all they do is consume social media and it becomes essential to their daily lives.

In today's world, we are more aware of Mental Health issues than in years past.  If New Jersey residents are concerned about Technology Addiction and want to cut back on reading online news, then we should support their efforts to have a more balanced life without technology running their day-to-day.