Social media addiction’s surprising challenger? Anti-doomscrolling influencers

The relentless scroll of social media feeds has become a familiar experience for billions of users worldwide, but a new wave of content creators is aiming to disrupt this pattern by appearing in those very same feeds with a simple message: it might be time to put down your phone.

Olivia Yokubonis, known online as “Olivia Unplugged,” has gained popularity for her gentle reminders that interrupt users’ mindless scrolling sessions. Her videos often point out that viewers likely can’t remember what they watched just moments before—a wake-up call that resonates with many who find themselves lost in the endless stream of content.

“Most people have no clue how much time they spend on social media,” explains Ofir Turel, a professor of information systems management at the University of Melbourne who studies social media usage patterns. His research reveals that when confronted with their actual screen time data, many users experience shock and subsequently reduce their usage voluntarily.

Yokubonis is employed by Opal, a screen time management app designed to help users “reclaim their focus.” However, her content rarely reveals this connection, avoiding obvious branding elements that might undermine her message. The strategy appears effective—her videos have garnered millions of views.

“It’s a fine line and a balance of finding a way to be able to cut through that noise but also not adding to the noise,” Yokubonis says. She acknowledges the irony of her approach when critics point out that she’s using social media to combat social media overuse. “Where else am I supposed to find you, Kyle? Outside? You’re not outside. You are here, sitting here,” she responds to skeptics. “For us to actually be seen, we have to be where people are.”

Ian A. Anderson, a postdoctoral scholar at California Institute of Technology, questions whether such interventions can effectively break through to those most in need of them. “If they’re paying full attention, I feel like it could be an effective disruption, but I also think there is a degree to which, if you are really a habitual scroller, maybe you aren’t fully engaging with it,” he notes.

The conversation around social media usage has intensified as platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube continue to dominate leisure time globally. Yet experts remain divided on whether “addiction” accurately describes problematic social media use.

Anderson’s recent research suggests many users overestimate their own addiction status. In a representative sample of Instagram users, 18% self-identified as at least somewhat addicted, but only 2% displayed symptoms that would indicate actual addiction risk according to clinical criteria.

This perception gap matters, Anderson explains, because “If you perceive yourself as more addicted, it actually hurts your ability to control your use or your perception of that ability and makes you kind of blame yourself more for overuse.”

For those looking to reduce their screen time, experts recommend implementing “light touch interventions” such as repositioning apps on their phone home screens or disabling notifications. More committed strategies might include establishing phone-free zones in the home.

Cat Goetze, known online as “CatGPT,” creates content about artificial intelligence while also addressing screen time reduction. Drawing from her tech industry background, she reminds viewers that their difficulty disconnecting isn’t entirely their fault.

“There’s a whole infrastructure—there’s an army of nerds whose only job is to get you to increase your time spent on that platform,” Goetze explains. “There’s a whole machine that’s trying to get you to be that way and it’s not your fault and you’re not going to win this just through willpower.”

Goetze has launched Physical Phones, a business selling Bluetooth landline phones that connect to smartphones, encouraging less screen-focused interactions. The product’s packaging proclaims “offline is the new luxury,” reflecting a growing sentiment that disconnection represents a form of modern privilege.

Despite building her business through social media, Goetze maintains a pragmatic outlook. “Social media will always play a part in our lives. I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing. If we can get the average screen time down from 10 hours for a person to one hour, or from three hours to 30 minutes, that is going to be a net positive benefit for that individual and for society,” she says, before adding with a touch of humor, “That being said, I’d love to be the person that they’re watching for those 30 minutes.”