Is opting-out so hard? Emerging adults on the techniques and barriers to digital disconnection during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic being a past, the concern for digital balance remains relevant. Digital devices accompany people constantly, and young users are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of their usage. Considering the problem's relevance, we focus on digital disconnection (DD) among emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use a mixed methodology combining two qualitative approaches: story completion and content analysis. We identify and systemize barriers and techniques of DD, and we answer whether these practices are stable. We present four categories of barriers: obstacles, the functionality of the digital world, the design of the digital world, and the problem' of displacement. We also outline techniques for DD: human-centric actions, temporal solutions, technological support, and activities outside the online world.